Mrs. Brown, who could see William’s face, went rather pale.
“Say ‘Thank you,’ William dear,” she said nervously, then, hastily covering William’s murmured thanks, “How very kind of you, Mr. Bennison. How very kind. He’ll be most interested. I’m sure he will, won’t you, William, dear? Er—I’m sure he will.”
William freed himself from Mr. Bennison’s hand, and went towards the door.
“You will remember,” went on Mr. Bennison, pleasantly, “that in my ‘Early Training of the Young’ I lay down the rule that every present given to a child should tend to his or her mental development. I do not believe in giving a child presents of money before he or she is sixteen. No really wise faculty of choice is developed before then. I expect you remember that in my ‘Parents’ Help,’ I said——”
William crept quietly from the room.
*****
He went first of all to Ethel’s bedroom.
She was reading a novel in an arm-chair.
“Go away!” she said to William.
In the midst of his preoccupation William found time to wonder again what people “saw in” her. Well, if they only knew her as well as he did.... But the all-important question was the question of tops.