Tallente, however, protested vigorously.
"Can't we have it served in your sitting room, please ?" he begged.

"It is impossible to talk to you here.

There are people in the background all the time, and you might have callers." She hesitated for a moment but yielded the point.

With the door closed and the coffee tray between them, Tallente drew a sigh of relief.
"I hope you don't think I am a nuisance," he said bluntly, "but, after all, I came down from London purposely to see you." "I am not so vain as to believe that," she answered.
"It is nevertheless true and I think that you do believe it.

What have I done that you should all of a sudden build a fence around yourself ?" "That may be," she replied, smiling, "for my own protection.