“I design postman's hats,” said Jock.
“Oh, go on.”
“And my friend here trains sea lions.”
“Tell us another.”
Babs said,
“I got a gentleman friend who works on a newspaper.”
After a time Jock said,
“I say, ought we to do something about Brenda?”
“You told her we weren't coming, didn't you?”
“Yes … but she might still be hoping.”
“I tell you what, you go and ring her up and find out if she really wants us.”
“All right.”
He came back ten minutes later.
“I thought she sounded rather annoyed,” he reported. “But I said in the end we wouldn't come.”
“She may be tired,” said Tony. “Has to get up early to do economics.
Now I come to think of it someone did say she was tired, earlier on in the evening.”
“I say what's this frightful piece of fish?”
“The waiter said you ordered it.”
“Perhaps I did.”
“I'll give it to the club cat,” said Babs, “she's a dear called Blackberry.”
They danced once or twice.
Then Jock said,
“D'you think we ought to ring up Brenda again?”
“Perhaps we ought.
She sounded annoyed with us.”
“Let's go now and ring her up on the way out.”
“Aren't you coming home with us?” said Babs.
“Not tonight, I'm afraid.”
“Be a sport,” said Milly.
“No, we can't really.”
“All right.
Well how about a little present?
We're professional dancing partners, you know,” said Babs.
“Oh yes, sorry, how much?”
“Oh, we leave that to the gentlemen.”
Tony gave them a pound.
“You might make it a bit more,” said Babs. “We've sat with you two hours.”
Jock gave another pound.
“Come and see us again one evening when you've more time,” said Milly.
“I'm feeling rather ill,” said Tony on the way upstairs.
“Don't think I shall bother to ring up Brenda.”
“Send a message.”
“That's a good idea … Look here,” he said to the seedy commissionaire.
“Will you ring up this Sloane number and speak to her ladyship and say Mr. Grant-Menzies and Mr. Last are very sorry but they cannot call this evening.
Got that?”
He gave the man half a crown and they sauntered out into Sink Street.
“Brenda can't expect us to do more than that,” he said.
“I tell you what I'll do.
I go almost past her door so I'll ring the bell a bit just in case she's awake and still waiting up for us.”
“Yes, you do that.