“Because I am going to leave the Service.”
“Leave it—for good?” She drew in her breath.
“Yes. I’ve never told you. I haven’t had a chance to tell you. My leave was stopped for a time, and I never seemed to be able to get near you. You know why my leave was stopped?”
“Yes. Nick told me.”
Nick! So it had gone thus far. “What did he say?” John asked.
“He said that what you did was a serious offence—technically.”
“Technically?”
“I mean he seemed to sympathize in the circumstances. He told me about Mr. Aggett and the watches you were keeping. He told me everything.”
“And he sympathized?”
“Yes. You needn’t say it like that, John. I believe it was he who persuaded Mr. Aggett to stop your leave instead of taking it further.”