Part 28 (1/2)
”No, Spike, no! I was only thinking that tea never tastes quite right unless poured out by a woman's hand--and the fairer the hand the better the tea!”
”Which means--just what, Mr. Geoffrey?” laughed Hermione.
”Why, that Spike and I are about to drink the most delicious tea in the world, of course.”
”I'd rather be eatin' that turk' when you've sawed me off a leg,” sighed Spike. ”I say--when you have!”
”Ah, to be sure!” said Ravenslee, turning his attention to his carving again, while Hermione bowed her golden head above the teacups.
”Gee, but she cuts tender!” quoth Spike; ”that bird sure has the Indian sign on me!”
”Sugar, Mr. Geoffrey?”
”Two lumps, please.”
”Milk, Mr. Geoffrey?”
”Thank you!”
”Geoff,” said Spike wearily, ”I cracked that milk jug last night, but you don't have to sit starin' at it that way, an' me dyin' of hunger by inches!”
”My humble apologies!” said Ravenslee, wresting his gaze from a certain curl and fixing it upon the turkey again. ”I'm a little--er--distracted to-night, it seems.”
”Oh, Gee!” said Spike in a hopeless tone, ”now Hermy's gone an' filled my cup with milk.”
”Why, boy dear, so I have!” she confessed, with a rueful laugh, and her cheeks were very pink as she rectified her mistake.
”Are you distracted too, then?” demanded Spike.
”No, I--I don't think so--no, no--of course I'm not! I--I was just--thinking, that's all!”
”Not about tea, I reckon! Say, what's gettin' you two, anyway?”
”Arthur,” said she serenely, as she pa.s.sed his tea, ”please fetch some more hot water.”
Spike sighed, rose, and taking the jug, went upon his mission.
”And how do you like Mulligan's, Mr. Geoffrey?” enquired Hermione, regarding him with her calm, level eyes.
”Very much,” he answered, ”I like it better and better. I think--no, I'm sure I would rather be in Mulligan's than anywhere else in the world.”
”Oh! Why?”
Down went carving knife and fork, and leaning toward her he answered: ”Because in Mulligan's, among many other wonders, I have found something more beautiful and far more wonderful than I ever dreamed of finding.”
”In Mulligan's?” she asked, looking her amazement.
”In Mulligan's,” he answered gravely. Now here, all at once, her glance wavered and sank before his.
”What do you mean?” she enquired, staring into her cup.