It required a deal of diplomacy, and only Uncle Gerald's charm and tact carried the matter through without a serious breach between the Golder's Green relations and Ronnie's parents. It cost a small fortune in cables, too.
But in the end it was managed, and Ronnie went back to Longhope, where he fitted so uncommonly well.
"I must say," said Uncle Gerald, "you've a nice taste in amanuenses."
"What's that?" asked Ronnie.
"Well, I believe you call it a likhnè-wālā," said Uncle Gerald. "Both are long, rather clumsy names, and there's not much to choose between them."
"He was a nice likhnè-wālā," said Ronnie; "and very cheap."
XX
THE CONTAGION OF HONOUR
It's a far cry from cantonments in a town in Northern India to a village in the Cotswolds, and events had moved so fast in the last four months that for a while Robin felt rather breathless and bewildered.
He was not yet six years old, but he had been through the Suez Canal six times.