“Tennis dance. Didn’t you know?”
“No,” said Edwin.
“Really!” Johnnie murmured, with a falsely ingenuous air. After a pause he said: “They’ve left you all alone, then?”
“I was in the breakfast-room,” said Edwin, when he had given further information.
They walked into the breakfast-room together. Charlie’s cigarette-case lay on the tray.
“Those your cigarettes?” Johnnie inquired.
“No. They’re Charlie’s.”
“Oh! Master Charlie’s, are they? I wonder if they’re any good.” He took one fastidiously. Between two enormous outblowings of smoke he said: “Well, I’m dashed! So Charlie’s come with her! I hope the kid’ll soon be better... I should have been back long ago, only I took Mrs Chris Hamson home.”
“Who’s Mrs Chris Hamson?”
“Don’t you know her? She’s a ripping woman.”