She actually heard herself telling the friend one of the excuses she'd prepared to use on her uncle.

I went into the custodian's room to check on my uncle.

After his death, we had to depend on my uncle.

Do you know how hard this is on your uncle?

He became managing director in 1931, on his uncle Percy's death.

He moved to Tokyo and became dependent on his uncle.

And then we'll make a house call on your uncle.

She slipped out of Gray's arm to check on her uncle.

"I'd like to put my hands on your uncle just about now," he added.

The author has stated that Collins is based on his own uncle.