At nine-thirty father said to Michael, 'You can go away now.'
'Where, sir.'
'Anywhere you jolly well like so long as it's far enough. I'm going to take my only daughter for a last walk in the woods. Of course, if you thought it worth while to be at the park gates at ten-thirty to say good-night I might——'
'If you could make it twenty to eleven I could bear it better,' said Michael, 'it would be ten minutes less——'
'Ten-thirty is the very latest, Michael. An hour is as much as I can stand of her myself,' said father firmly, shoving him out into the hall.
'Oh, daddy,' I giggled, as we wandered out into the summer night, 'I haven't laughed so much for years. Who is Porky, and why and when did you bet him ten bob?'
'He was my fag at Eton, Meg, and I bet him ten bob he'd never be a Bishop.'
'Have you paid him yet?'
'I've given him six and tenpence on account, little 'un. Why, he's only a colonial.'
'Oh, daddy! you really are a poppet; you're much too nice to be a parson; whatever made you want to go into the Church?'