Mary kept her gaze straight ahead, even though the feeling of him behind her was unsettling.
(Unsettling. Yes, of course. She could try and claim to herself that it was unsettling and not terrifying.)
"Ah, a conversation," Mary said, and her tone was filled with far more of a casual air than she felt. "I'm sure you've got some wonderful subjects lined up for us? And here I've been lamenting my lack of someone to chat with."