II + 

That afternoon VernonтАЩs father came into the nursery. There was a queer furtive look about himтБатАФunhappy and defiant. He winced slightly before VernonтАЩs round interested gaze. + 

тАЬHullo, Vernon.тАЭ + 

тАЬHullo, Father.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm going to London. Goodbye, old chap.тАЭ + 

тАЬAre you going to London because you kissed Winnie?тАЭ inquired Vernon with interest. + 

His father uttered the kind of word that Vernon knew he was not supposed to hearтБатАФmuch less ever repeat. It was, he knew, a word that gentlemen used but little boys didnтАЩt. So great a fascination did that fact lend it, that Vernon was in the habit of sending himself to sleep by repeating it over to himself in company with another forbidden word. The other word was Corsets. + 

тАЬWho the devil told you that?тАЭ + 

тАЬNobody told me,тАЭ said Vernon after reflecting a minute. + 

тАЬThen how did you know?тАЭ + 

тАЬDidnтАЩt you, then?тАЭ inquired Vernon. + 

His father crossed the room without answering. + 

тАЬWinnie kisses me sometimes,тАЭ remarked Vernon. тАЬBut I didnтАЩt like it much. I have to kiss her too. The gardener kisses her a lot. He seems to like it. I think kissingтАЩs silly. Should I like kissing Winnie better if I was grown up, Father?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ he said deliberately. тАЬI think you would. Sons, you know, sometimes grow up very like their fathers.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩd like to be like you,тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬYouтАЩre a jolly good rider. Sam said so. He said there wasnтАЩt your equal in the county and that a better judge of horse flesh never lived.тАЭ Vernon brought out the latter words rapidly. тАЬIтАЩd rather be like you than Mummy. Mummy gives a horse a sore back. Sam said so.тАЭ + 

There was a further pause. + 

тАЬMummyтАЩs gotaheadacheanlyingdown,тАЭ proceeded Vernon. + 

тАЬI know.тАЭ + 

тАЬHave you said goodbye to her?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo.тАЭ + 

тАЬAre you going to? Because youтАЩll have to be quick. ThatтАЩs the dogcart coming round now.тАЭ + 

тАЬI expect I shanтАЩt have time.тАЭ + 

Vernon nodded wisely. + 

тАЬI dare say that would be a good plan. I donтАЩt like having to kiss people when theyтАЩre crying. I donтАЩt like Mummy kissing me much anyway. She squeezes too hard and she talks in your ear. I think IтАЩd almost rather kiss Winnie. Which would you, Father?тАЭ + 

He was disconcerted by his fatherтАЩs abrupt withdrawal from the room. Nurse had come in a moment before. She stood respectfully aside to let the Master pass, and Vernon had a vague idea that she had managed to make his father uncomfortable. + 

Katie, the under-housemaid, came in to lay tea. Vernon built bricks in the corner. The old peaceful nursery atmosphere closed round him again. + 