“Elsie, d’you know Amy’s going out to-morrow night? She’s going to see her friend, that Williams woman, who’s ill.”
“What, the one that was at mother’s place?”
“Yes—yes—but they’re in their own house now. It’ll take her all the evening to get there and back, pretty nearly.”
“She won’t go.”
“Yes, she will. I shall tell her I’m going off to a case at Roehampton or somewhere, and that I shan’t be back till late.”
“Oh, don’t. It simply isn’t safe.”
“It’s quite safe, you little fool. You and me have got to come to an understanding, I can’t stand this life another minute. Look here, we’ll go out somewhere together.”
“No, no! That’d be much worse. Sonnie always wakes up, and he’ll scream himself into a fit if I’m not there, and then Florrie would know——”
“I forgot the kids. Elsie—Gladys sleeps in your room doesn’t she?”
“Yes,” said Elsie, suddenly flushing scarlet.