“What?”
Jimmy clutched his head.
“Another young lady; she declines to give her name, sir, but says her business is important.”
Jimmy stared at him.
“This is damned odd, Stevens. Damned odd. Look here, what time did I come home last night?”
“Just upon five o’clock, sir.”
“And was I—er—how was I?”
“Just a little cheerful, sir—nothing more. Inclined to sing ‘ Rule Britannia .’ ”
“What an extraordinary thing,” said Jimmy. “ ‘ Rule Britannia ,’ eh? I cannot imagine myself in a sober state ever singing ‘ Rule Britannia .’ Some latent patriotism must have emerged under the stimulus of—er—just a couple too many. I was celebrating at the Mustard and Cress, I remember. Not nearly such an innocent spot as it sounds, Stevens.” He paused. “I was wondering—”
“Yes, sir?”
“I was wondering whether under the aforementioned stimulus I had put an advertisement in a newspaper asking for a nursery governess or something of that sort.”
Stevens coughed.
“ Two girls turning up. It looks odd. I shall eschew the Mustard and Cress in future. That’s a good word, Stevens— eschew —I met it in a crossword the other day and took a fancy to it.”