(They had to keep it up together.)
But Ranny's mother felt that she had gone too far.
"He ought to be in His bed—"
"Of course he ought," said Ranny, tenderly.
"And He would be if it wasn't for that Mercier."
Thus subtly did she intimate that it was not his father but Mercier whose behavior was reprehensible.
"P'r'aps you'll go to him, Ranny?"
"Hadn't we better wait for Mercier?"
(Old Mr. Beesley's mixture was a case for Mercier.)
"Him? Goodness knows when he'll be in. And it's not likely that y'r father'll have him interferin' with him. They're sendin' at ten past eleven, and it's five past now."