His door opened.
"Hullo, Faversham! Hope you're quite strong," said the incomer.
"All right, thank you." The two men shook hands. "You've been doing
Scotland as usual?"
"Two months of it. Beastly few birds. Not at all sorry to come back. Well, now—I've got something very surprising to talk to you about. I say"—he looked round him—"we shan't be disturbed?"
Faversham rose, gave a telephone order and resumed his seat.
"Who do you think we've got staying at Duddon?"
"I haven't an idea. Have a cigarette?"
"Thanks. Has Melrose ever talked to you about his wife and daughter?"
Faversham stared, took a whiff at his cigarette, and put it down.
"Are you her to tell me anything about them?"