"You misunderstand me. I wasn't suggesting that there was any love between you. But your explanation of his visit is altogether too lame to be believed. Did he by any chance know that you were at Greystones that evening?"
"No, of course not! How could he? It was a guess, that's all."
"Not even Neville Fletcher would make such a guess without having very good reason for doing so. Am I to understand that you were so much in the habit of visiting Fletcher in that - you will have to forgive me if I call it clandestine - manner, that it was a natural conclusion for Neville to arrive at?"
"Oh no! Neville knew all the time that I didn't feel about Ernie except as a friend."
He raised his brows. "Was your possible relationship with Fletcher of interest to Neville?"
"No. No, of course not. But I've known Neville for years." Her voice tailed off uncertainly.
"I am quite aware of that. I too have known Neville - or shall we say, have been acquainted with him? - for years. Are you asking me to believe that that extremely detached young man asked you to explain your dealings with his uncle?"
She could not help smiling, but there was fright in her eyes. "No. Actually, I told him."
"You told Neville Fletcher… I see. Why?"
She muttered: "No reason. It - sort of came out. I can't explain."