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inside herself that she had never met Reed Jamison.
    CHAPTER SIX
    A t precisely six-thirty there was a knock on the door of the suite, and Meredith knew it was Reed Jamison.
    Walking out of the bedroom into the sitting room, buttoning her jacket, she arranged a pleasant smile on her face before opening the door.
    “Not too early, I hope,” Reed said, kissing her on the cheek.
    “Exactly on time,” Meredith replied, and stood back in order to let him walk into the suite. “I’ll just get my bag and coat and we can be off.”
    “Oh but it’s far too early for the restaurant, darling.
    Why don’t we have a drink here first.” He put his overcoat on a chair and sauntered into the middle of the sitting room. After giving it a sweeping glance, he went to the fireplace, where he draped himself against the mantel, striking an elegant pose.
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    “All right,” Meredith said, endeavoring to be gracious, although she couldn’t help wishing he had not come up to the suite. She had fully expected him to phone her from the lobby. Pressing the bell for the floor waiter and clearing her throat, she asked, “What would you like?”
    “Scotch and soda, please, my dear.”
    “Where are we going for dinner?” she asked, making small talk.
    “Ah-ha, that’s a surprise!” he exclaimed.
    “You said we were going slumming.”
    “I’m taking you to a wonderful Chinese restaurant, rather off the beaten track. But you’ll enjoy it. The place has tremendous local color, and the food is the best Chinese in London. Genuine, too, not the bastard-ized stuff served in fancy West End restaurants.”
    “I’m looking forward to it,” she murmured and then moved out into the foyer of the suite as the waiter knocked and then let himself in. After ordering their drinks, she returned to the fireside and sat down.
    Looking at her intently, shifting his stance slightly and leaning forward, Reed said, “I’m really rather put out with you, darling.”
    “ Oh? ” Meredith stared at him questioningly. “Because I didn’t want to come down to tea and meet your friends?”
    “No, no, of course not. That didn’t matter. But I am somewhat surprised that you went to lunch with Patsy when I had invited you to come over to the house.”
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    Meredith was taken aback. “But, Reed, Patsy and I had a lot of business to discuss. I told you last week, when I was still in New York, that I had many things to attend to on this trip, and—”
    “Oh really! ” he cut in with a sardonic laugh. “You could have dealt with Patsy on the phone, surely.”
    “No, I couldn’t!” she shot back, her voice rising in exasperation. She was irritated with him; she realized, yet again, that he did not really take her work seriously.
    Suppressing a rush of impatience, she went on more calmly. “We had business to discuss, and I was anxious to see her.”
    “But not anxious to see me.”
    “Reed, don’t be—”
    There was a loud knock and the waiter entered with the tray of drinks. Meredith got up, thanked him, and handed him some of the coins she kept in the ashtray for tips. After giving Reed his drink, she picked up her own, and sat on the sofa.
    “Cheers,” Reed said, and took a swallow of his scotch and soda.
    “Cheers.” Meredith merely touched the glass to her lips, then put it on the coffee table. She had no desire to drink tonight.
    Once again Reed looked at her; this time he was smiling.
    She was relieved the awkward moment had passed.
    It struck her that he seemed less morose tonight, and certainly he was in a better mood than he had been earlier, when she had run into him in the lobby.
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    “Have you told Patsy you’re planning to move to London within the next few months?” he asked.
    Meredith gaped at him. “What makes you say that, Reed? I’m not moving anywhere.”
    “When I was in New York in November you certainly indicated that you intended to live in