"Noriko-sama?" the tall man said with a bow, appending the title of "lady" to her name rather than the more usual "san."

"Please don't be afraid," he went on. "I am a friend of your husband's. Yuta-sensei would not object to our meeting here, and alone."

Besides being quite tall, the man had deeply bronzed skin with a patina of green and wore what she knew was a frock coat in a deep, rich brown. That was cut to reveal the waist of his buff-colored trousers and a buckle ...