He looked at his watch and rose.
'I may call at nine ?' he said.
'If you really have time.

But I can manage quite well by myself, you know.' 'What you _can_ do is not the question.

If I had my will you should never know a moment's trouble as long as you lived.' 'If I never have worse trouble than going to the railway station, I shall think myself lucky.' 'Miss Mutimer--' 'Yes ?' 'You won't drop me altogether from your mind whilst you're away ?' There was a change in his voice.

He had abandoned the tone of excessive politeness, and spoke very much like a man who has feeling at the back of his words.

Alice regarded him nervously.
'I'm not going to be away more than a day or two,' she said, smoothing a fold in her dress.
'If it was only an hour or two I couldn't bear to think you'd altogether forgotten me.' 'Why, of course I shan't!' 'But--Miss Mutimer, I'm abusing confidence.