He bent slightly, looking into her face.
"I've been wanting to talk to you," he said.
"Have you ?" She tried to meet his look, but failed.

"What about ?" she said, almost in a whisper.
He bent lower.

"Dot, are you afraid of me ?" he said.
That brought her eyes to his face with a jerk.

"I--I--no--of course not!" she stammered, in confusion.
"Quite sure ?" he said.
She collected herself with an effort.

"Quite," she told him with decision, and met his gaze with something of a challenge in her own.
But he disconcerted her the next moment.