"What are you doing here?"
The voice had lost none of its soft staccato nor of its whip-lash snap.
"I'm Mr. Grainger's librarian," I replied, meekly.
"Since when?" he panted.
"Since not long after I left Mrs. Rossiter."
He took his time to think another question out.
"How did your employer come to know about you?"
I explained, as though he had had no knowledge of the fact, that Mrs. Rossiter had employed for her boy, Brokenshire, a tutor named Strangways. This Mr. Strangways had attracted Mr. Grainger's attention by some articles he had written for the financial press. An introduction had followed, after which Mr. Grainger had engaged the young man as his secretary. Hearing that Mr. Grainger had need of a librarian, Mr. Strangways had suggested me.
I could see suspicion in the way in which he eyed me as well as in his words.
"Had you no other recommendation?"