“I hope you don’t mind me tryin’ ’f I could do it,” he said. “I dunno why it’s called an apple-pie bed, do you? It doesn’t say nothing about it in this book what you kindly gave me.”
Mr. Bennison flung himself upon William with a roar. William dodged lightly on to the landing. Mr. Bennison followed and collided heavily with a housemaid who was carrying a tray of early morning tea.
*****
William came down to breakfast. He entered the dining-room slowly and cautiously. Only his father and mother were there. His mother was talking to his father.
“He wouldn’t even stay for breakfast,” she was saying. “He said his letter called him back to town on most urgent business. I didn’t like his manner at all.”
“Oh?” said her husband from behind his paper, without much interest.
“No, I thought it rather ungracious, and he looked queer.”
“Oh?” said her husband, turning to the financial columns.
“Yes—wild and hollow-eyed and that sort of thing. I’ve wondered since whether perhaps he takes drugs. One reads of such things, you know, and he certainly looked queer. I’m glad he’s gone.”
William went up to Ethel’s bedroom. Ethel was gloomily putting the finishing touches to her auburn hair.