“My aunt!” said he.
“The frock is a sweet,” said Miss Perry. “Isn’t it? Muffin’s——”
“Goose Girl,” said Jim, “you are marvelous.”
“I think the hat must flop a little too much,” said Miss Perry, “in places. It makes people turn round to stare at it.”
“Of course it does, you foolish person,” said Jim, with little guffaws of rapture. “It is an absolute aboriginal runcible hat. How did you come by it? It seems to me there are deep minds in this.”
“Lord Cheriton chose it,” said Miss Perry.
“My noble patron and employer. It does him infinite credit. That hat is an achievement.”
“Aunt Caroline doesn’t like it,” said Miss Perry. “Especially in church.”
“Aunt Caroline is a Visigoth,” said Jim. “Let us forget her. Sit there, you Goose, where you sat yesterday. And if you don’t move and don’t speak for an hour, you shall have a cream bun.”
It was bribery, of course, on the part of Jim Lascelles, but Miss Perry made instant preparation to earn the promised guerdon.