“Anyone ’d think that anyone ’s old as you an’ Robert would know a simple thing like that. Jus’ think of you an’ Robert an’ Miss Flower not knowing why it’s called Leap Year.”
“How do you know Miss Flower doesn’t know?”
“Well, wun’t she have told Robert if she knew? She must have told Robert everythin’ she knows by this time, talkin’ to him an’ talkin’ to him like she does. F’ that matter I don’t s’pose Mr. Brooke knows. He’d have told you ’f he did. He’s always——”
Ethel groaned.
“Will you stop talking and go away if I give you a chocolate?” she said.
William forgot his grievance.
“Three,” he stipulated in a quick business-like voice. “Gimme three ’n I’ll go right away.”
She gave him three so readily that he regretted not having asked for six.
He put two in his mouth, pocketed the third, and went into the morning-room.
His father was there reading a newspaper.