"May have been shy."
"Nonsense! There's something fishy about her, Jim, and you know it!"
"I don't know any such thing, and if I did, what the hell do you think I can do about it? I'm not Timothy's keeper!"
"No, but you're years older than he is, and you know how he's always adored you, and looked up to you!"
"My good girl," said Mr. Kane revolted. "I may have been a hero to Timothy when he was a kid - not that he ever gave much sign of venerating me - but that's years ago!"
"Of course I didn't mean he still looks on you as a sort of demigod, but he's awfully fond of you, Jim!"
"He'd need to be if he was going to put up with me barging into his affairs," said Mr. Kane grimly.
Jim, you must try to do something! You can't pretend you want Timothy to make a muck of his life! It's no use saying he's hard-boiled, and old enough to take care of himself: being a Commando doesn't make a boy worldlywise! If you don't care, I do! Obviously he's making a fool of himself, but I shall never forget how angelic he was to me all through that ghastly Dunkirk time, and how he gave up two whole days of his leave to come and see me in that disgusting place I took the children to when you were in Italy. He tried to teach Silas to catch a ball, too, which was quite futile, because the poor sweet was far too young!" She added in a besotted tone: "He did look such a pet!"
"Now, look here!"
"Not Timothy: Silas, of course! Anyway, you can't just do nothing, Jim! You ought to try and find out something about this girl. Couldn't you go up to London, and see them?"