Much of this yaw haw comes down to us from the drawl of the fashionable Mid-Victorian ‘swells’, who were suggesting to their listeners that they were doing them a favour by talking to them at all. J.B. Priestley, The Edwardians In the breakfast room, Rose helped herself to kidneys and bacon and took a seat next to Margaret. ‘Have you heard any news of Colette?’ she asked. ‘Not a word.’ ‘You should tell the police.’ ‘They will not be interested.’ Rose hesitated and then said, ‘I told them myself.’ Margaret stared at her. ‘When?’ ‘This morning.’ ‘Why?’ ‘A girl is missing. Under the mattress in her room was found a silver locket, a piece of lace and a cigarette case.’ ‘Those are items I gave to her.’ ‘Why would she leave them behind? Someone could have packed up her belongings to make it look as if she had left. Besides, she told my maid, Daisy, that she knew something about one of the young ladies here, implying that one was having an affair.’ Margaret’s face was stiff with outrage.
