Major Hunt-Goring and Violet, who had undertaken to cut up his meal for him, were engrossed in a frothy conversation which it was obvious that neither desired to have interrupted.
Max glanced towards them before he abruptly started another subject with
Olga.
"How is Mrs. Briggs?"
Olga coloured hotly. "Oh, she seemed all right."
Max surveyed her rather pointedly. "Well? What had she got to say about me?"
"About you?" said Olga.
He laughed and looked away. "Even so, fair lady. I conclude it was something you would rather not repeat. I had already fathomed the fact that I was not beloved by Mrs. Briggs."
"It's your own fault," said Olga, speaking on the impulse to escape from a difficult subject. "You have such a knack of making all your patients afraid of you."
"Really?" said Max.
"Oh, don't be supercilious!" she said quickly. "You know it's true."