“Eight o’clock, dear. Time for dinner. Ah, here are William and Robert.”
Ruffles licked his hand. My only friend. Oh, he was sick and tired of it all.
“Now, dear, put your arm round William’s shoulder, and the other round Robert . . .”
“Would it not be better, Mrs. Haye, if between them they carried the chair and him on it?”
“Stairs—narrow. Now lift him. That’s right. You can get along like that with them on each side, can’t you, John?”
The woman was insufferable.
“Yes, I’m all right. Good-night, Ruffles.”
“I’ll come up and see you after dinner, dear.”
William breathed discreetly but heavily, Robert full of energy. William’s shoulders were thin.
“Mind, Master John, here’s the step into the library.”