CHAPTER IV
THE VICAR DECIDES TO ACT
"ALFRED WARREN'S back."
The vicar paused in the act of unfolding his napkin across his knee, and gazed across at his sister over the top of his gold-rimmed spectacles.
"Where did you hear it, my dear?" he enquired mildly, as his eyes wandered to the French windows opening out on to the lawn, where the sun spread a golden carpet of light. "I have often wondered," he continued irrelevantly, "why we do not breakfast out of doors."
"Because it's better to take eggs and bacon hot, and marmalade without wasps," replied Miss Lipscombe grimly.
"True," said the Vicar, "I had forgotten that. Thank you, Hannah," he added, as he took from her the cup of coffee she handed him.
For fully a minute there was silence as the vicar stirred his coffee, awaiting the arrival of Janet with the bacon and eggs.
"The instinct towards sun-worship is easy of under- standing," he murmured, as he continued to gaze out of the French windows, where an impatient robin was
hopping about, awaiting the breakfast of bacon-rind
56
