The distress which he had seemed to hear loud behind the written words--was this its meaning and explanation?
Joan Whitworth and Mario Escobar! Certainly Joan knew him! He was sitting next to her on the night when "The Dark Tower" was produced, sitting next to her, and talking to her.

Sir Charles Hardiman had used some phrase to describe that conversation.

Hillyard was strangely anxious to recapture the phrase.

Escobar was talking to her with an air of intimacy a little excessive in a public place.

Yes, that was the sentence.
Hillyard walked on quickly to his club.
"Is Sir Charles Hardiman here ?" he asked of the hall porter.
"He is in the card-room, sir." Martin Hillyard went up the stairs with a sense of relief.