hope you’ll like it.’ She took him into a small but charming front bedroom, switching on the light as she went in.
‘Te morning sun comes right in the window, Mr. Perkins. It is Mr. Perkins, isn’t it?’ ‘No,’ he said. ‘It’s Weaver.’ ‘Mr. Weaver. How nice. I’ve put a water bottle between the sheets to air them out, Mr. Weaver.
It’s such a comfort to have a hot-water bottle in a strange bed with clean sheets, don’t you agree? And you may light the gas fire at any time if you feel chilly.’ ‘Tank you,’ Billy said. ‘Tank you ever so much.’ He noticed that the bedspread had been taken off the bed and that the bedclothes had been neatly turned back on one side, all ready for someone to get in. ‘I’m so glad you appeared,’ she said, looking earnestly into his face. ‘I was beginning to get
worried.’ ‘Tat’s all right,’ Billy answered brightly. ‘You mustn’t worry about me.’ He put his suitcase on the chair and started to open it. ‘And what about supper, my dear? Did you manage to get anything to eat before you came
here?’ ‘I’m not a bit hungry, thank you,’ he said. ‘I think I’ll just go to bed as soon as possible because
tomorrow I’ve got to get up rather early and report to the office.’ ‘Very well, then. I’ll leave you now so that you can unpack. But before you go to bed, would
you be kind enough to pop into the sitting room on the ground floor and sign the book? Everyone has to do that because it’s the law of the land, and we don’t want to go breaking any laws at this
