“Thought I should find you here,” said Dot. “Everything all right?”
“Couldn’t be better. But why did she leave the letter on the hot-water tap?”
“Oh, that was just a little joke of hers. She said you always got into any hot water that might be going about, and so you’d be sure to find it there.”
“Do you see what this means, Dot? It means that in future we can play at boats without any fear of interruption.”
“M’yes,” said Dot. “It’s not the very devil of a game, is it? Been over the house yet? I must say it does look nice, now all the cleaning and decorating’s finished. Albert and Hector both noticed it.”
“Yes, very nice. I suppose you and Dash would like to be getting dinner for me.”
“That’s what we’re panting after. But it can’t be done, because there’s nothing to eat. At least, there’s nothing for you. Besides, after this afternoon we are both emotionally worn-out. And that’s not all. Albert and Hector brought us a bit of news from Gallows. Just you take my tip and ask no questions. You take the train into Dilborough and dine at the ‘Crown.’ You might—I don’t say you will, but you might—get a bit of a surprise. If you hurry you’ll catch the 7.5.”
Luke thrust his wife’s letter into his pocket, and hurried.
5
“No,” said the sad-eyed waiter, in reply to Luke’s enquiry. “No, we do not serve the dinner on Sunday night. In Dilborough Sunday night, there is what you call, nothing doing. You can have a nice chop.”