Into the hiatus he said: "You don't have to call me anything until you are sure."
"They do miracles in surgery nowadays," she said, covering her break. "How long ago is it since it happened?"
"I'd have to think. About a couple of years now, I think."
Except for the flat American a, his speech was without peculiarity.
"Well, we must see what can be done about it. A horse, was it?"
"Yes. I wasn't quick enough. How did you know it was a horse?"
"You told Mr. Sandal that you had worked with horses. Did you enjoy that?" Just like railway-carriage small-talk, she thought.
"It's the only life I do enjoy."
She forgot about small-talk. "Really?" she said, pleased. "Were they good horses, those western ones?"
"Most of them were commoners, of course. Very good stuff for their work-which, after all, is being a good horse, I suppose. But every now and then you come across one with blood. Some of those are beauties. More-more individual than I ever remember English horses being."