"I believe, Tilly...."
"What?"
"That you're telling a fib. Your voice is very abrupt."
She shrugged her shoulders and gave her little laugh, which meant that she couldn't help it.
"You ought to talk candidly to me for once," he said.
"Yes," she answered; and her tone was more intimate. "We don't do that too often."
"I'm very busy sometimes."
"You're always busy. Why did you have to go to Amsterdam suddenly? I hardly know the reason."
"It was for Alex."
"And did you succeed?"