Robert tried to go on looking like it. Cyril and Anthea stood on
the carpet.
'We shall have to get back before dinner,' said Cyril, 'or cook
will blow the gaff.'
'She hasn't sneaked since Sunday,' said Anthea.
'She--' Robert was beginning, when the door burst open and the
cook, fierce and furious, came in like a whirlwind and stood on the
corner of the carpet, with a broken basin in one hand and a threat
in the other, which was clenched.
'Look 'ere!' she cried, 'my only basin; and what the powers am I to
make the beefsteak and kidney pudding in that your ma ordered for
your dinners? You don't deserve no dinners, so yer don't.'
'I'm awfully sorry, cook,' said Anthea gently; 'it was my fault,
and I forgot to tell you about it. It got broken when we were
telling our fortunes with melted lead, you know, and I meant to
tell you.'
'Meant to tell me,' replied the cook; she was red with anger, and
really I don't wonder--'meant to tell! Well, _I_ mean to tell, too.
I've held my tongue this week through, because the missus she said
to me quiet like, "We mustn't expect old heads on young shoulders,"
but now I shan't hold it no longer. There was the soap you put in
our pudding, and me and Eliza never so much as breathed it to your
ma--though well we might--and the saucepan, and the fish-slice,
and--My gracious cats alive! what 'ave you got that blessed child
dressed up in his outdoors for?'
'We aren't going to take him out,' said Anthea; 'at least--' She
stopped short, for though they weren't going to take him out in the
Kentish Town Road, they certainly intended to take him elsewhere.
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