“Very well, darling,” said Mrs. Brown. “Four cups of coffee, please.”
William, still cowering under his cap, poured them out and handed them over the counter.
“You couldn’t mistake him,” said Mrs. Brown, tearfully. “He had a nice blue overcoat over his Eton suit, and a blue cap to match, and patent leather shoes, and he was so looking forward to the party, I can’t think——”
“How much?” said William’s father to William.
“Twopence each,” muttered William.
There was a horrible silence.
“I beg your pardon,” said William’s father suavely, and William’s heart sank.
“Twopence each,” he muttered again.
There was another horrible silence.
“May I trouble you,” went on William’s father—and from the deadly politeness of his tone, William realised that all was over—“may I trouble you to remove your cap a moment? Something about your voice and the lower portion of your face reminds me of a near relative of mine——”