“Oh,” she said.
“What time is it?”
“We've got to have breakfast.”
“Don't want any breakfast.
I think I'll sleep a little.”
“You have had breakfast,” said Winnie.
“Come on,” said Tony.
“Plenty of time to sleep afterwards.
This is what we came for.”
Milly sat up in bed.
“O.K.,” she said.
“Winnie darling, give mother her jacket off the chair.”
She was a conscientious girl, ready to go through with her job however unattractive it might seem.
“But it's early.”
Tony went into his room and took off his shoes, collar and tie, coat and waistcoat, and put on a dressing gown.
“You are greedy,” said Winnie, “eating two breakfasts.”
“When you're a little older you'll understand these things.
It's the Law.
Now I want you to stay in the sitting room for quarter of an hour very quietly.
Promise?
And afterwards you can do exactly what you like.”
“Can I bathe?”
“Yes certainly, if you're quiet now.”
Tony got into bed beside Milly and pulled the dressing gown tight round his throat.
“Does that look all right?”
“Love's young dream,” said Milly.
“All right then.
I'll ring the bell.”
When the tray had been brought Tony got out of bed and put on his things.
“So much for my infidelity,” he said.
“It is curious to reflect that this will be described in the papers as `intimacy.' ”
“Can I bathe now?”
“Certainly.”
Milly turned over to sleep again.
Tony took Winnie to the beach.
The wind had got up and a heavy sea was pounding on the shingle.
“This little girl would like to bathe,” said Tony.
“No bathing for children today,” said the beach attendant.
“The very idea,” said various onlookers.
“Does he want to drown the child?”
“He's no business to be trusted with children.”
“Unnatural beast.”
“But I want to bathe,” said Winnie. “You said I could bathe if you had two breakfasts.”
The people who had clustered round to witness Tony's discomfort, looked at one another askance.
“Two breakfasts?
Wanting to let the child bathe?
The man's balmy.”
“Never mind,” said Tony.
“We'll go on the pier.”
Several of the crowd followed them round the slots, curious to see what new enormity this mad father might attempt.