"It concerns you."
"Me? Nonsense! How can it?"
"In order to serve a friend, I did a—well—a doubtful thing."
Kate was puzzled.
"You are in a curious mood, Sir Roderick. Do you often ask moral counsel?"
"I am not going to ask it. I am, with your kind permission, going to offer it."
"You are going to offer me moral counsel?"
"I thought of taking that liberty. You see, we are old friends."
"We have known one another some time."
Ayre smiled at the implied correction.