"About the cake," she said now, smoothing her immaculate apron and glancing sharply at the circle of rather serious faces.
"Bother the cake," answered Doctor Hugh, secure in the knowledge that whatever he said would receive Winnie's unqualified approval. "Have you seen the plans for the new office, Winnie?"
"That I have not," she replied eagerly and Rosemary yielded her place while Winnie stared over Mrs. Willis' shoulder at the mysterious white lines and dots.
"You must be expecting a lot of sick folks, Hughie," she commented after a moment's study.
"I'll give up the other office," the doctor explained, "and have all my office hours here."
"When can Mr. Greggs start work, Hugh?" asked his mother, rescuing the elastic bands from Shirley and moving the ink well back from the small, exploring fingers.
"Next week, he hopes," Doctor Hugh answered. "There won't be any digging to be done, because we are not going to extend the cellar; but there will be mason work for the foundation and they want to open out the side of the hall as soon as they start."
"It will be messy," said Winnie, with unmistakable disapproval of anything "messy."
"It will be messy," agreed the doctor. "Worse than that, it will be noisy. I want Mother and you to take the girls and go away till it is over. I don't think anyone should be asked to endure the sound of constant hammering in the hot weather; I'll be out of the house so much that I don't count and of course I'll keep the other office till things are in shape here."
He spoke evenly, but his eyes met Winnie's across Mrs. Willis' shapely drooping head.