“Do you know anything about this?” Henry asked and showed me a letter.
“No!” I lied.
“I'll read it out.”
Dear Henry,
please meet me in the sick room at the girls' school after the seminar this Friday. The key is for the sick room and the ring is very precious to me.
Please be there!
Your Secret Admirer
“Are you going to go, Henry? Who can it be? But wait a minute, next week's seminar is here in our school.”
“Well, Peter, I went. It was yesterday. I waited in the sick room for five minutes and then, wait for it, Catherine came in and asked me if I had written her a letter.”
Dear Catherine,
please meet me in the sick room after the seminar this Friday. I have something very precious for you.
Please be there!
Your Secret Admirer
“She showed me her letter and I showed her my letter and the key and the ring. She said 'You know who's done this, don't you?' and we both said 'Jennffer!' and laughed.”
“Catherine held out her hand and told me to put the ring on her finger. And yes, it was her ring, she had lost it a few days before. She took the key and said 'Oh well, now we are here, we had better get on with it.' She locked us in the sick room and she mauled me. And then, well, no, I don't have to tell you, but it was very good. We're meeting again on Monday.”
“Peter, are you listening to me? Have you got something on your mind? Can I help you with anything?”
“Oh, no, Henry! Oh, I mean... No! I do want to hear about your adventures. That Catherine looks pretty good. Oh, yes. I'm sure you liked it with Catherine. Tell me more. Keep talking to me, Henry!”
“OK, Peter, you do have something on your mind. You want me to talk to you. OK! I've had an idea. Next term you and I could move out of the school and rent an apartment in the village to be nearer to the girls' school. What do you think of that? Eh, Peter?”
“Oh, great idea, Henry! Why don't we take a ball and practise on the football field?”