'I dare say some grandmothering or great-grandmothering would do.'
The door was suddenly flung open and an angelic-looking child in pale pink pyjamas, powdered with rosebuds, made a dramatic entrance — and said in dulcet tones as of one expecting a rapturous welcome — 'It's me.'
'Sybil, why aren't you in bed?'
'Things aren't very pleasant in the nursery –'
'That means you've been a naughty girl, and Nannie isn't pleased with you. What did you do?'
Sybil looked at the ceiling and began to giggle.
'It was a caterpillar — a furry one. I put it on her and it came down here.'
Sybil's finger indicated a spot in the middle of her chest which in dressmaking parlance is referred to as 'the cleavage.'
'I don't wonder Nannie was cross — ugh,' said Lady Matilda. Nannie entered at this moment, said that Miss Sybil was over-excited, wouldn't say her prayers, and wouldn't go to bed.
Sybil crept to Lady Matilda's side. 'I want to say my prayers with you, Tilda –'
'Very well — but then you go straight to bed.'
'Oh yes, Tilda.'
Sybil dropped on her knees, clasped her hands, and uttered various peculiar noises which seemed to be a necessary preliminary to approaching the Almighty in prayer. She sighed, groaned, grunted, gave a final catarrhal snort, and launched herself:
'Please God bless Daddy and Mummy in Singapore, and Aunt Tilda, and Uncle Staffy, and Amy and Cook and Ellen, and Thomas, and all the dogs, and my Pony Grizzle, and Margaret and Diana my best friends, and Joan, the last of my friends, and make me a good girl for Jesus' sake. Amen. And please God make Nannie nice.'
Sybil rose to her feet, exchanged glances with Nannie with the assurance of having won a victory, said good-night and disappeared.
'Someone must have told her about Benvo,' said Lady Matilda. 'By the way, Staffy, who's going to be your best man?'
'Forgot all about it — Have I got to have one?'
'It's usual.'
Sir Stafford Nye picked up a small furry animal.
'Panda shall be my best man — please Sybil — please Mary Ann — And why not? Panda's been in it from the beginning — ever since Frankfurt …'
