He flushed and stammered.
“Of course I might have asked you directly if you lived in the Hills. But let us be reasonable. I’m at least entitled to your name; without that——”
“Without it you will be just as happy!”
“Oh, but you don’t mean that you won’t——”
“That’s exactly what I mean!” She smiled, her elbows on the table, the slim brown fingers interlaced under her firm rounded chin.
“That isn’t fair. You know me; and yet I’m utterly in the dark as to you——”
“Oh, names are not of the slightest importance. Of course X Y Z is rather awkward. Let’s find another name—something you can call me by as a matter of convenience if, indeed, we meet again.”
She bit into a macaroon dreamily while this took effect.
“Not meet again!” he exclaimed.
“Oh, of course it’s possible we may not. We haven’t discussed our business yet; but when we reach it you may not care for another interview.”