13As he and Janice came into the hall at exactly half past four, a buzz of voices proceeding from the drawing-room informed them that Miss Sophy was having a tea-party. She had, in fact, been quite busy asking people to tea before Janice got her invitation.
They entered upon an early Edwardian tea. The table decked with an embroidered cloth, supported a massive tray and full panoply of silver. In a three-tiered metal cake-stand to the right of the table plates of Royal Worcester china offered microscopic sandwiches of fish paste, lettuce, and nasturtium leaves. On the left a similar cake-basket carried out in wicker-work supported gingerbread biscuits, Marie biscuits, and rock buns--a wartime product made with egg powder. Behind the table in a large upright chair, Miss Sophy beamed upon h
