“How can there be? I haven’t given any address.”
“I could wire Williams later.”
“No. I don’t want to be bothered. I want to be let alone. I’m tired.”
He cast a glance about the lowering horizon. “More rain coming,” he said. “I wish you could have seen the desert in the sunshine.”
“I’ll wait.”
“Will you?” he cried eagerly. “It may be quite a while.”
“Perhaps Miss Van Arsdale will keep me, as you wouldn’t.”
He shook his head. “You know that it isn’t because I don’t want you to stay. But she is right. It just wouldn’t do.... Here she comes now.”
Io took a step nearer to him. “I’ve been looking at your books.”
He returned her gaze unembarrassed. “Odds and ends,” he said. “You wouldn’t find much to interest you.”