He also took a handful of letters and set to work.
"May I come in?" said a voice at the door. "Or are you too busy?"
"Come in, of course, major."
The second-in-command entered, glanced round and took in the situation.
"Don't let me interrupt you," he said politely. "I haven't come to see you at all, so don't flatter yourselves. I wanted to see Denis's Sketch and Tatler, that's all."
"On my bed, sir," said Allen.
"Thanks."
There was unbroken silence for some minutes. Then the major cast The Tatler from him with an exclamation of disgust.
"I wish," he said, "that that grinning little idiot would stop advertising herself for a bit. You can't pick up a picture-paper without seeing her selling things or dressing up or generally pushing herself into the limelight. She wants smacking."
Both men at the table looked up.