Christopher thought he knew very little about it, but he had learnt what he set out to know and was moreover now aware that the subject was distasteful 35 to Aymer, so he politely changed it. “Robert’s brother has got some very nice guinea-pigs,” he said thoughtfully.
“Who is Robert?”
“Robert is the under footman. I forgot you don’t know him.”
Christopher recollected with momentary embarrassment Aymer’s inaccessibility to the general domestic staff.
“He wants to find a home for them,” he added hastily; “he doesn’t mind where, so long as it’s a happy home.”
Aymer guarded a smile. Christopher was already notorious for ingenious methods of getting what he wanted.
“It would be a pity for them to be ill-treated, of course,” he agreed gravely.
Christopher shuffled across the floor to the side of the big sofa.
“It’s rather a happy home here, you know,” he remarked suggestively, touching Aymer’s arm tentatively with one finger.
“I am glad you think so. Do you consider the atmosphere equally suitable for guinea-pigs?”