Word Watch 10, "tete-a-tete"

I read a lot of British, especially Victorian, literature, and in doing so I often come across the phrase tete a tete. From the contexts and from coming across the phrase so often, I'd gleaned that it meant something like a private or intimate conversation, but I've never understood why. In French tete a tete literally means "head to head." So, quite private, as no one else is privy to the information if it is given in an intimate proximity. This use showed up in the 17th century, but an earlier use from the 16th century, teste a teste means "together in single combat." This is very interesting--I'm glad I chose this phrase.