“Captain Grey!” she said, leaning across the table. “Tell me, did you see her?”
He did not meet Lexy’s eyes. He was looking down at his plate with that curious dazed expression in his face.
“Yes,” he said. “Yes, I saw her.”
Lexy was hurt and disappointed by his manner. Evidently he didn’t want to tell her anything, didn’t want to talk at all. Very well—the only thing for her to do was to maintain a dignified silence. She did so for almost ten minutes, but then nature got the upper hand.
“Well?” she demanded. “Was everything all right?”
“All right?” he repeated. “Oh, rather! Oh, yes, thanks—absolutely all right.”
This was too much for Lexy.
“That’s good,” she said frigidly. “I’m going upstairs now, to write some letters.”
Her tone aroused him. He sprang to his feet, very contrite.
“No! Look here!” he said. “Please don’t run away! I—I want to talk to you, but it’s a bit hard. You can’t imagine what it’s like to see one of your own people, you know—after such a long time.”