Then, very quietly, Jenny added: "Why did you jump when I said 'Ruth Callice.’"
Martin had not jumped. But, as they stood together negligently against the wall, their hands were locked together. Each tremor, each blood-beat, almost each thought, seemed to flow from one into the other. And women, at times like these, have an emotional power which is almost like mind-reading.
"Yes?" murmured Jenny.
"Because I'm one of the two men. I was in Ruth's flat last night"
"Oh," murmured Jenny, and her gaze moved away. He felt, in the literal sense of touch, something wrong. "Do you know Ruth well?"
"I've known her for years! She's one of the finest persons I ever met!"
"Oh. Did you ever tell her anything about — us?'
"Yes, several times. I'm afraid I got rather emotional about it last night She cheered me up."
"How nice," said Jenny, and suddenly tried to wrench her hands away. He held tightly. "Then didn't she ever tell you who I was? Who 'Jenny' was? Why didn't she?"
"Probably because she had no more clue than I had."