"No, I share a flat with a man I know in town. But that isn't because I don't get on with my father!"
"I wasn't suggesting that," replied Harding equable. "You have recently become engaged to be married, have you not, to a Miss Lola de Silva?"
Geoffrey stirred restlessly. "That's all off now, I can assure you."
Harding looked up from a note he was making. "Indeed? But it was not all off, was it, when you brought Miss de Silva here on Saturday?"
Geoffrey gave a short laugh. "No, it wasn't. But since then — However, that's a subject I prefer not to discuss. "That's a pity," said Harding, "for it is a subject which I'm afraid I must ask you to tell me about. When was this engagement broken off?"
"If you must know, yesterday," said Geoffrey. "Did you break it off, or did Miss de Silva?"
Geoffrey got up quickly. "Look here, I've already said I — I don't want to discuss it! It can't have anything to do with you, and I may as well tell you that I very much object to having my private affairs pried into."
"Sit down, Mr. Billington-Smith," said Harding. Geoffrey hesitated, and obeyed. "There are two ways of giving evidence to the police," continued Harding in his even voice. "One is to answer the questions that are put to you, and the other is to have the truth pumped out of you. I recommend the first of these. You will find it less unpleasant."
Geoffrey looked rather frightened. "I didn't mean — of course, if you assure me it's necessary, that's another matter. Only I don't mind telling you that I've been utterly disillusioned about Lola — Miss de Silva, you know, and I simply don't want to hear her name mentioned again."
"Did she, or did you break off the engagement?" repeated Harding.