“I hope,” said Harry, “that you don’t mind if I smoke.”
“Not at all.”
There was an awkward silence.
“Patience,” Harry used the girl’s name for the first time with deliberation, “why don’t you speak to me?”
Patience did not resent the familiarity. “I am thinking,” she replied.
“You act as though you do not like me. What have I done?”
“It’s not that,” replied Patience shortly.
“Then you are trying to avoid me.”
“Why?”