“Hurrah! When?”
“When I think that you will be able to understand it. Mr. Douglas and I will set you an examination paper.”
“Oh, not in the holidays,” said the boy.
“You won’t know it’s being set you,” said his father.
“That’s an improvement on the Eton plan,” remarked Dennis.
Dennis was sent up to bed when old Lady Yardley had had her two rubbers of whist, and presently Mr. Douglas went too.
“And now we’re alone, Vi,” said Colin, “and I haven’t seen you for a month. Mayn’t we have a little talk? In fact, I’ve got several things to say. About Aunt Hester now.”
“Yes, I think you owe me an explanation of that,” said she.
“Darling, don’t talk about ‘owing explanations,’ in that way. You speak as if I had run up a bill with you, and wouldn’t pay it. Probably that’s just what you do think.”
Colin moved across to the fire where the traditional log smouldered.