"All this way to see me! And did you eat? Of course you didn't!"
"I don't want anything," he protested glumly.
"But you must."
She seized on his need as welcome distraction from the love making, which undoubtedly was his purpose. She took his coat and hat, placed cigarettes for him and went to the kitchen to help Carlotta prepare a quick meal. She served it herself, going to pains to make it attractive, and finally seated herself across the table from Hilton, who made a pretense of eating.
She talked, a bit feverishly, perhaps, but compelled him to stick to matters far from personal and after he had finished his scant meal and lighted a cigarette he leaned back in his chair and smiled easily at her. It was a good smile, open and frank and gentle, but when it died that nasty light came back; as though the smile showed the man Jane Hunter had tolerated for long, masking the man she now tried to put from her.
"If your enthusiasm were for anything else, I'd like it," he said.
"But it isn't. Why can't you like it as it is?"
He ignored the question.
"Busy, Jane?"
"As the devil on Forty-Second street."