"What about them?" asked Mavis pleasantly.
"It's a great honour being connected with 'Poulter's,'" the little woman hazarded.
"No doubt."
"And what with the undercutting and all, on the part of those who ought to know better, it makes it 'ard to make both ends meet."
"I'm sure it does."
"But there! We'll leave it to Mr Poulter."
"That's the best thing to do."
"I'll see if Mr Poulter's finished 'is tea."
Mavis followed the woman across the ballroom, and back to the cloak-room, where she was left alone for quite five minutes. Then the little woman put her head into the room to say:
"Mr Poulter won't be many minutes now. 'E's come to the cake," at which Mavis smiled as she said: