There could be no harm in Colonel Grey's hearing the questions.

As for interrupting their pleasant converse, he thought that they would soon recover from the interruption.

Accordingly he went out to the rose-garden.
Absorbed in one another, they did not see him till he was right on them, and then he saw a curious happening.

At the sight of him a sudden, simultaneous apprehension filled both their faces, and they drew closer together.

But he had an odd fancy that they did not draw together for mutual protection, but mutually to protect.