“Oh, I am sorry I'm so rude,” she gasped. “Fancy being called Tommy Xavier—I mean Thomas Xavier.”
“You may call me Tommy if you wish—most of my friends do.”
“Unfortunately I'm not your friend,” she said, still smiling and wiping the tears from her eyes, “so I shall go on calling you Mr. Meredith if you don't mind.”
She looked at her watch.
“If you are not going to arrest me I'm going,” she said.
“I have certainly no intention of arresting you,” said he, “but I am going to see you home!”
She jumped up smartly.
“You're not,” she commanded.
She was so definite in this that he was startled.
“My dear child,” he protested.