"I hand it to you, Neville," said Sally bluntly. "You've been a brick to Miss Fletcher."
He gave an anguished sound. "I haven't! I wouldn't know how! You shan't tack any of your revolting labels on to me!"
At that moment Helen came into the room. Her eyes looked a little heavy, as though from lack of sleep, and the start she gave on seeing Neville betrayed the frayed state of her nerves. "Oh! You!" she gasped.
"I never know the answer to that one," remarked Neville. "I expect it's similarly dramatic, but I can't be dramatic at breakfast. Do sit down!"
"What are you doing here?" Helen asked.
"Eating," replied Neville. "I wish you hadn't come down. I can see you're going to disturb the holy calm which should accompany the first meal of the day."
"Well, it's my house, isn't it?" said Helen indignantly.
Sally, who had risen, and walked over to the sidetable, came back with a cup and saucer, which she handed to her sister. "You look pretty rotten," she said. "Why did you get up?"
"I can't rest!" Helen said with suppressed vehemence.
"Night starvation," sighed Neville.