‘Never,’ agreed Peter. ‘I’ll see to that.’
‘Look here,’ said Christopher, doubtfully; ‘perhaps Jill won’t like our hanging round her like that.’
‘She may not like it at the time,’ began Wilfred, impressively.
‘But she’ll thank us for it all her life afterwards,’ concluded Peter, with great solemnity.
Jill’s voice at the door made them start like guilty conspirators. She was much too preoccupied to notice their confusion, however.
‘Has Kit come back?’ she asked anxiously. Christopher sprang out of the arm-chair, and her face cleared. ‘I’m so glad; I was afraid you were lost,’ she said, taking his hand gently. ‘Babs has just woke up,’ she explained, as they went upstairs together, ‘and she is still rather upset about something. I think you can calm her, if you will.’
Kit muttered something indistinctly, and she went on talking in her soft voice. ‘The child has got into her head that you have done something to the Doctor, so I want you to assure her that it is all right. Will you, Kit dear?’
‘I’m the biggest brute,’ burst out the boy, ‘that ever––’
‘Nonsense!’ said Jill, putting her hand over his mouth. Then she opened the door of Barbara’s room and they went in.
Auntie Anna was sitting by the child, trying to soothe her.