sent a most t of dreadful cold feeling in my guts. I y miles an ead of taking to topped outside t.
So I’m fond of er all, you say! I don’t knoly , but you can’t imagine yourself it. It’s part of you. ell, t’s about stick t of t t s be dead or even in pain sent through me.
I fumbled tos me.
‘hilda!’ I yelled. ‘hilda!’
No ans I ter silence, and some cold s started out on my backbone. Maybe ted o al already—maybe tairs in ty house.
I started to dasairs, but at t t of t e t beginning to fail. Lorna ers.
‘Oo, Daddy! Oo, it’s Daddy! oday? Mummy said you coming till Friday.’
‘her?’ I said.
‘Mummy’s out. S out oday, Daddy?’
‘t been ill?’
‘No. ho said she’d been ill? Daddy! have you been in Birmingham?’
‘Yes. Get back to bed, noching cold.’
‘But ws, Daddy?’
‘ presents?’
‘ts you’ve bought us from Birmingham.’
‘You’ll see the morning,’ I said.
‘Oo, Daddy! Can’t onight?’
‘No. Dry up. Get back to bed or I’ll he pair of you.’
So s ill after all. So be glad or sorry. I turned back to t door, h.
I looked at o of t. It o t less tes earlier I’d been in teual cold s on my backbone, at t t s be dead. ell, s dead, s as usual. Old oss t you invariably come back to, ternal verities as old Porteous calls t in too good a temper. Sed me a little quick look, like simes tle tance, mig seem surprised to see me back, however.
‘Oh, so you’re back already, are you?’ she said.
It seemed pretty obvious t I anso kiss me.
‘t on promptly. t’s o say sometant you set foot inside t expecting you. You’ll just o I don’t t any cheese.’
I folloos into tting-room. I s tc. I meant to get my say in first, and I kne ter if I took a strong line from tart.
‘No trick on me?’
S laid op of t she looked genuinely surprised.
‘ trick? do you mean?’
‘Sending out t S.O.S.!’
‘ S.O.S.? are you tALKING about, George?’