“Never,” said Claire, with a total disregard for accuracy that would have done ample credit to Mrs. Fazackerly herself.
Christopher brought Nancy back to the Manor that afternoon for a very late tea.
He was in excellent spirits, and they told us about their afternoon’s shopping.
“We got in long before the others. The General positively crawls in that Standard of his. And Patch did turn up, after all. We met him with Mrs. Harter.”
“That Mrs. Harter?” said Claire.
“We all of us got the things together, and we decided that Mrs. Harter ought to wear an Eastern dress, too, for singing ‘The Bulbul Ameer.’ She’s very clever at dressmaking and she and I can easily make the things ourselves. That’ll save expense,” babbled Nancy.
“Why didn’t you bring Captain Patch back with you? I like Captain Patch. He and I have so much in common.”
“He and Mrs. Harter were going to have tea together somewhere in the town.”
Claire drew her brows together for an instant and then raised them, as though puzzled.
“But how nice of him, to be kind to Mrs. Harter!”