No, he couldn't have heard.
"No, never," she said hurriedly, in a low voice.

"Nobody ever speaks to him about her.

She was of course not his equal socially." "Is that the reason why nobody speaks of her ?" Cynthia flushed indignantly.
"Not that I know of.

Why do you ask ?" "I thought you put the two things together," said Helena in her most detached tone.

"And she was an artist ?" "A very good one, I believe.