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Constantia。
〃No； lost；〃 said Josephine sharply。 〃You know there's no post。 Only
runners。〃
Both paused to watch a black man in white linen drawers running
through the pale fields for dear life； with a large brown…paper parcel in his
hands。 Josephine's black man was tiny； he scurried along glistening like
an ant。 But there was something blind and tireless about Constantia's tall；
thin fellow； which made him； she decided； a very unpleasant person
indeed。。。On the veranda； dressed all in white and wearing a cork helmet；
stood Benny。 His right hand shook up and down； as father's did when he
was impatient。 And behind him； not in the least interested； sat Hilda； the
unknown sister… in…law。 She swung in a cane rocker and flicked over the
leaves of the 〃Tatler。〃
〃I think his watch would be the most suitable present；〃 said Josephine。
Constantia looked up； she seemed surprised。
〃Oh； would you trust a gold watch to a native？〃
〃But of course； I'd disguise it；〃 said Josephine。 〃No one would know
it was a watch。〃 She liked the idea of having to make a parcel such a
curious shape that no one could possibly guess what it was。 She even
thought for a moment of hiding the watch in a narrow cardboard corset…
box that she'd kept by her for a long time； waiting for it to come in for
something。 It was such beautiful； firm cardboard。 But； no； it wouldn't
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be appropriate for this occasion。 It had lettering on it： 〃Medium
Women's 28。 Extra Firm Busks。〃 It would be almost too much of a
surprise for Benny to open that and find father's watch inside。
〃And of course it isn't as though it would be goingticking； I mean；〃
said Constantia； who was still thinking of the native love of jewellery。
〃At least；〃 she added； 〃it would be very strange if after all that time it
was。〃
Chapter 3。VIII。
Josephine made no reply。 She had flown off on one of her tangents。
She had suddenly thought of Cyril。 Wasn't it more usual for the only
grandson to have the watch？ And then dear Cyril was so appreciative；
and a gold watch meant so much to a young man。 Benny； in all
probability； had quite got out of the habit of watches； men so seldom wore
waistcoats in those hot climates。 Whereas Cyril in London wore them
from year's end to year's end。 And it would be so nice for her and
Constantia； when he came to tea； to know it was there。 〃I see you've got
on grandfather's watch； Cyril。〃 It would be somehow so satisfactory。
Dear boy！ What a blow his sweet； sympathetic little note had been！
Of course they quite understood； but it was most unfortunate。
〃It would have been such a point； having him；〃 said Josephine。
〃And he would have enjoyed it so；〃 said Constantia； not thinking what
she was saying。
However； as soon as he got back he was coming to tea with his aunties。
Cyril to tea was one of their rare treats。
〃Now； Cyril； you mustn't be frightened of our cakes。 Your Auntie
Con and I bought them at Buszard's this morning。 We know what a
man's appetite is。 So don't be ashamed of making a good tea。〃
Josephine cut recklessly into the rich dark cake that stood for her
winter gloves or the soling and heeling of Constantia's only respectable
shoes。 But Cyril was most unmanlike in appetite。
〃I say； Aunt Josephine； I simply can't。 I've only just had lunch； you
know。〃
〃Oh； Cyril； that can't be true！ It's after four；〃 cried Josephine。
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Constantia sat with her knife poised over the chocolate…roll。
〃It is； all the same；〃 said Cyril。 〃I had to meet a man at Victoria； and
he kept me hanging about till。。。there was only time to get lunch and to
come on here。 And he gave mephew〃Cyril put his hand to his
forehead 〃a terrific blow…out；〃 he said。
It was disappointingto…day of all days。 But still he couldn't be
expected to know。
〃But you'll have a meringue； won't you； Cyril？〃 said Aunt Josephine。
〃These meringues were bought specially for you。 Your dear father was
so fond of them。 We were sure you are； too。〃
〃I am； Aunt Josephine；〃 cried Cyril ardently。 〃Do you mind if I take
half to begin with？〃
〃Not at all； dear boy； but we mustn't let you off with that。〃
〃Is your dear father still so fond of meringues？〃 asked Auntie Con
gently。 She winced faintly as she broke through the shell of hers。
〃Well； I don't quite know； Auntie Con；〃 said Cyril breezily。
At that they both looked up。
〃Don't know？〃 almost snapped Josephine。 〃Don't know a thing like
that about your own father； Cyril？〃
〃Surely；〃 said Auntie Con softly。
Cyril tried to laugh it off。 〃Oh； well；〃 he said； 〃it's such a long time
since〃 He faltered。 He stopped。 Their faces were too much for him。
〃Even so；〃 said Josephine。
And Auntie Con looked。
Cyril put down his teacup。 〃Wait a bit；〃 he cried。 〃Wait a bit； Aunt
Josephine。 What am I thinking of？〃
He looked up。 They were beginning to brighten。 Cyril slapped his
knee。
〃Of course；〃 he said； 〃it was meringues。 How could I have forgotten？
Yes； Aunt Josephine； you're perfectly right。 Father's most frightfully
keen on meringues。〃
They didn't only beam。 Aunt Josephine went scarlet with pleasure；
Auntie Con gave a deep； deep sigh。
〃And now； Cyril； you must come and see father；〃 said Josephine。
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〃He knows you were coming to…day。〃
〃Right；〃 said Cyril； very firmly and heartily。 He got up from his chair；
suddenly he glanced at the clock。
〃I say； Auntie Con； isn't your clock a bit slow？ I've got to meet a man
atat Paddington just after five。 I'm afraid I shan't