She turned back to her nephew and touched him on the arm.
"Ronnie," she said, "I don't know whether you have met Surgeon-Major Thomson in France?
Major Thomson, this is my nephew, Captain Granet." Granet turned at once and offered his hand to the other man.

Only Geraldine Conyers, who was a young woman given to noticing things, and who had also reasons of her own for being interested, observed the rather peculiar scrutiny with which each regarded the other.

Something which might almost have been a challenge seemed to pass from one to the other.
"I may not have met you personally," Granet admitted, "but if you are the Surgeon-Major Thomson who has been doing such great things with the Field Hospitals at the front, then like nearly every poor crock out there I owe you a peculiar debt of gratitude.

You are the man I mean, aren't you ?" the young soldier concluded cordially.
Major Thomson bowed, and a moment later they all made their way along the corridor, across the restaurant, searched for their names on the cards and took their places at the table which had been reserved for them.

Lady Anselman glanced around with the scrutinising air of the professional hostess, to see that her guests were properly seated before she devoted herself to the Cabinet Minister.