Dot handed him over, and hurried into the dining-room.
‘You’re putting milk in, what are you thinking of?’ Larrie said in an injured tone after two minutes’ silence. Dot was actually thus spoiling the cup of tea he always drank brown and sugarful. Peggie had forgotten the slop basin. Dot got up to go to the cupboard which was near Larrie’s end of the table.
‘If you’ll never be naughty again I’ll [p 44] ]forgive you,’ she said in a whisper at his elbow. Her eyes were wet, sorry, pleading.
‘You dear little girl,’ Larrie said. He laid down his knife and fork and put his arms round her waist, ‘I was a perfect brute to you, it was all my fault.’
‘No, mine,’ said Dot.
‘Mine,’ insisted Larrie.
[p 45]
]CHAPTER V
MORE RIFTS IN THE LUTE
‘This grew: I gave commands,
Then all smiles stopped together.’
But naturally this kind of thing could not go on for ever.