“You were wonderful. Absolutely marvellous,” the girl said, watching him. “God, I feel like a dog!”
“Well,” the gray-haired man said, “it’s a tough situation. I don’t know how marvellous I was.”
“You were. You were wonderful,” the girl said. “I’m limp. I’m absolutely limp. Look at me!”
The gray-haired man looked at her. “Well, actually, it’s an impossible situation,” he said. “I mean the whole thing’s so fantastic it isn’t even—”
“Darling- Excuse me,” the girl said quickly, and leaned forward. “I think you’re on fire.” She gave the back of his hand a short, brisk, brushing stroke with the flats of her fingers. “No. It was just an ash.” She leaned back. “No, you were marvellous,” she said. “God, I feel like an absolute dog!”
“Well, it’s a very, very tough situation. The guy’s obviously going through absolute—”
The phone suddenly rang.
The gray-haired man said “Christ!” but picked it up before the second ring. “Hello?” he said into it.
“Lee? Were you asleep?”
“No, no.”