For the moment he ignored her question.

His eyes appraised her critically, reminiscently.

There was something vaguely familiar in the frank sweetness of her tone and manner.
"I am going to make the most idiotically commonplace remark," he said.
"I cannot believe that this is the first time we have met." "It isn't," she replied, helping herself to strawberry "Are you in earnest ?" he asked, puzzled.
"Do you mean that I have spoken to you ?" "Absolutely!" "Not only that but you have made me a present." He searched the recesses of his memory in vain.

She smiled at his perplexity and began to count on her fingers.
"Let me see," she said, "exactly fourteen years ago you arrived in Paris from London on a confidential mission to a certain person." "To Lord Peters!" he exclaimed.
She nodded.
"You had half an hour to spare after you had finished your business, and you begged to see the young people.

Maggie Peters was always a friend of yours.