Part 56 (1/2)
”If you won't let me thank you, perhaps you'll let Jill.”
Mavis held Jill in Perigal's face, when, to the girl's surprise, Jill growled angrily.
”What wicked ingrat.i.tude!” cried Mavis. ”Oh, you naughty Jill!”
”Perhaps she's sorry I didn't let her drown,” remarked Perigal.
”What!” cried Mavis.
”She may have wanted to commit suicide.”
”Jill want to leave me?”
”She felt unworthy of you. I suppose she growls because she sees right through me.”
”Don't be so fond of disparaging yourself. It was very brave of you to dive in as you did.”
”I'm going to ask you to do something really brave.”
”What's that?”
”Tackle eggs and bacon for lunch. It's all they've got.”
”I'll be very brave. I'm hungry.”
A red-cheeked, bright-eyed young woman laid a coa.r.s.e cloth, and, upon this, black-handled knives and forks.
”What will you have to drink?” asked Perigal.
”Milk.”
”Have some wine.”
”I always drink milk.”
”Not in honour of our meeting?”
”You seem to forget I've got to walk home.”
”Perhaps you're right. Goodness knows what they'd give you here. Not like the Carlton or the Savoy.”
”I've never been to such places.”
”Not?” he asked, in some surprise, to remain silent till the fried eggs and bacon were brought in.
”You ought to drink something warm,” said Mavis, as he piled food on her plate.
”I've ordered ginger brandy. It's the safest thing they've got.”
The food enabled Mavis to recover her spirits. It appeared to have a contrary effect on Perigal; the little he ate seemed to incline him to gloomy thoughts.