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agitated rise and fall of her breasts. He thought she would shout at him to do what he liked but she said tensely: ‘I daren’t go to the police.’
    â€˜Daren’t is frank enough, anyhow,’ conceded Rollison.
    â€˜I’m being frank about everything. I—I’m not English. I’m an alien and I’ve no right in the country without registering with the police. I haven’t done so. Does that satisfy you?’ she added waspishly and then turned her head away, hiding the expression in her eyes but not before he had seen the hint of fear in them.
    As she spoke he remembered Grice’s harassed comment: ‘Aliens, aliens, nothing but aliens.’ But her statement surprised him; she had no accent and if her appearance was not typically English he knew a dozen English ‘types’ who varied at least as much as she from the popular conception of blue eyes and golden hair. She was worried, though, and trying hard not to break down and implore him to keep away from the police; in her there was a pride which might one day fall but would sustain her through most eventualities.
    â€˜June Lancing sounds English,’ he said quietly.
    â€˜It’s an assumed name. At least,’ she corrected, ‘partly assumed. My mother’s maiden name was Lancing; she was English.’
    â€˜That would help with the police and friendly aliens—’
    She lifted a hand, long and tapering, the white palm turned towards him.
    â€˜I’m not a “friendly” alien. She sneered the ‘friendly.’ My father was a Rumanian.’
    â€˜There are even enemy aliens as free as the air,’ said Rollison mildly.
    â€˜That’s the way an Englishman would talk,’ she stormed at him. ‘You don’t know anything about what happens in your own country! If I were to be detained now and examined, it would take weeks before the authorities were satisfied with my bona fides ,even though
    I was brought up in England and have spent years over here. Weeks? Months, more likely! Oh, they would treat me all right but they’d pen me up with hundreds of others until everything was “in order” and I can’t afford to be interned even for a few weeks. I’ve too much to do.’ She hesitated, then dropped her hands in a helpless gesture. ‘But you’ll do your duty like any stiff-necked officer and gentleman. I know your type.’
    She turned and stood with her back towards him.
    Rollison contemplated a wisp of hair at the back of her head; it was out of place, a faint blemish on the smooth, dark sheen. He pursed his lips and allowed the silence to be prolonged; a clock in the dining-room struck half-past eight. It was a signal for her to turn and her expression was dejected, her eyes tearful.
    Slowly and sadly Rollison shook his head.
    â€˜No, I’m not so soft-hearted,’ he said drily. ‘I’ve seen too many women pretending to cry. If I delay telling the police it won’t be because of the appeal in your lovely eyes, so you needn’t keep it up.’
    Anger burned afresh in her eyes.
    â€˜You pig! You—’
    â€˜If I keep away from them pro tem it will be because I think whatever job you’re doing warrants it,’ continued Rollison, ‘and then not till I’m convinced that you’ve told me the truth and not pitched a beautiful fairy story. But we won’t argue about that now. I’ll let you stay here until I am satisfied and I’ll give you fair warning of what I’m going to do. That will have to be enough for the time being. Now—do you want to alter anything you’ve told me? This is the best chance you’ll have.’
    â€˜You know the truth,’ she said stiffly.
    â€˜Did your fiancé’s father know your nationality?’
    â€˜He did not.’
    â€˜Your fiancé?’
    â€˜Yes,’ she said abruptly. ‘I’ve told him and he agreed that