“I am,” he answered honestly. “I had a notion I was quite persona non grata with you.”
“Are you relieved to find you are not? You aren't, you know.”
“Thank you. I am relieved.”
“I suppose you're wondering why I have telephoned to you?”
“No, I haven't had time. The suddenness of it all has left me more or less dumb. Why did you ring up?”
“I wanted some advice. Suppose you wanted very, very much to know what two people were talking about, but found yourself in a position where you couldn't eavesdrop. What would you do?”
“I wouldn't eavesdrop,” he told her severely. “That isn't a nice thing to do, and I didn't think you would contemplate anything that isn't nice.”
“I wouldn't ordinarily. But I have every moral, ethical, and financial right to be a party to that conversation, only—well—”
“With you present there would be no conversation—is that it?”
“Exactly, Mr. Cardigan.”