So Tommy thought.
There was great excitement in Draeth the next day, for a big Conservative tea-meeting had been arranged for the afternoon, and The Member was to be present.
At one end of the tea-table Mrs. Tregennis presided. She was accompanied by Tommy in the dandy-go-risset sailor suit, and by Tregennis. Tregennis felt very stiff and uncomfortable, for as this was such an important occasion Mrs. Tregennis had decided that he must discard the fisherman’s jersey in favour of his wedding suit. In all the eight years he had been married this suit had not been worn above a dozen times, for, as he declared to Miss Margaret, “It has to be some fine weather, Miss, when I puts on they.”
This afternoon the wedding suit was worn, and Tregennis, Mrs. Tregennis and Tommy sat down to tea with their fellow-Conservatives and with all the quality of Draeth. An excellent tea was provided at sixpence a head; The Member made a few remarks on the political outlook which were well received, and the meeting broke up amid general congratulations. As Mrs. Tregennis explained afterwards to the ladies she herself was not a Conservative, in fact, her father was a Liberal, so if it came to a question of family she was a Liberal too. She knew naught of it, but always hoped that the best man would get in, politics or no politics. Tommy, she supposed, would be brought up as a Conservative and follow in his father’s steps.
“But that is too dreadful to contemplate,” exclaimed Miss Margaret. “Tommy, come here.”
This was a tone of voice Tommy had not heard for five days. He came with alacrity.
Miss Margaret held out a bottle of boiled sweets that were just the very best kind he liked; hard and scrunchy they were on the outside, soft and sticky within.
“These,” said Miss Margaret, “are Liberal sweets. Each time you eat one you must say, ‘I’m a good Liberal.’”
Tommy grinned.
“That do be bribery and corruption,” objected Tregennis.