But he was by no means tongue-tied.

Now, most emphatically, was he determined to have done with pretense.

Whether by accident or design, Forbes had placed himself with his back to the window.
The younger man deliberately crossed the room, pulled up the blind, thus admitting the flood of light which comes only from the upper third of a window, and sat down in such a position that Forbes was compelled to turn in order to face him.
"Before you utter another word, Mr.Forbes," he said gravely, "let me tell you that in my efforts to trace your whereabouts I also called up Fortescue Square.

Miss Forbes came to the telephone.

She said you had gone to the Home Office.