Knowing Mother, I arrived precisely on time. She was waiting for me in her sitting room, a pale peach room that was actually restful, for it did not contain an overabundance of fussy furbelows.
“Good afternoon, James.”
“Mother.” I stooped to brush a kiss across her cheek.
“Help yourself to a sandwich. I’ll pour you a cup of tea.” Tea in first, as always, but then three lumps.
I sighed. I hadn’t taken three lumps since I’d been a boy. However, informing her of that would get me nowhere.
“Thank you.” I sat on the chair opposite her, balancing the plate on one knee, and merely took a token sip of the tea. I set it aside on the end table at my elbow, and waited patiently for her to tell me why she had summoned me.
Never having been one for idle chitchat, she got down to the heart of the
