“Yes, sir,” replied Patsy, and he “sparked.”
CHAPTER XV
GOING IN TO DINNER
“Come along, Doris,” said Lord Gawdor, “and we’ll look at the dishes going in to dinner.”
It was a favourite amusement when a dinner-party was on to hang over the banister rails and watch the dishes going in, and, sometimes, if, fortunately, the remains of a jelly or mérangue were by chance left for a moment on the hall table before being carted back to the kitchen, to descend, capture it, carry it upstairs and devour it in private.
They slipped down the stairs to the first landing and peeped over the banisters. Nothing was going in yet, the guests were still in the drawing-room.
“It’s quarter past dinner-time,” said Lord Gawdor; “wonder what they’re waiting for?”
As if in answer to his question, a step sounded on the stairs above and Dicky Fanshawe came running down.
“Hullo, kids!” cried Dicky, as he passed them. He was in too great a hurry to stop. He took the remaining flight in two or three steps, and just as he reached the hall the drawing-room door opened and General Grampound came out. The General, seeing Dicky, closed the door behind him and came towards his nephew, looking, as he came, not unlike a ruffled cockatoo.
“That’s General Grampound,” said Doris. “Wish we could hear what he’s saying to Mr Fanshawe.”