[MaC] Separations: The Group in Vangie's flat (revised)

[Ree Moorhead Pruehs]

>>> >> "Have a biscuit," Vangie said cheerfully. "Or a piece of cake.
>>>Made
>>> >> it
>>> >> myself this morning, sugarless =and= eggless. I've got the kettle
>>> >> on."
>>>
>>> >> She went across to the bathroom door and tapped firmly on it.
>>> >> "Philip!
>>> >> Do you need anything?"
>>> >
>>> > While Evangeline checked on Phillip, Cyril moved to the tea service
>>>and
>>> > offered, "Would any of you care for some tea?  I'll pour out."  He
>>> > looked at Richard, Arabella and Braham in turn.  However, his
>>>glance
>>> > lingered on Arabella a moment longer than the men.
>>>
>>>"I should like some, Mr.Beaman," the dowager said with a pleasant
>>>smile.
>>>"Sweet, please." She reached for a biscuit as well, then said to the
>>>others,
>>>"Mrs. Evans makes a rather good wartime cake. You hardly notice what
>>>isn't
>>>in it, because the rest comes together so well."
>>
>>"She does indeed.  Florence has asked for her recipes more than once,"
>>Cyril said as he prepared the dowager's tea.  "Mrs. Evans?" he called
>>as he looked in her direction.  "May I pour for you?"
>
>"No, thank you," came Philip's voice. "Just...about...done!" And indeed,
>moments later, he stepped out of the bathroom with fresh bandages
>wrapped more or less neatly around his right hand.
>
>Seeing the newcomers to the flat, he smiled somewhat uncertainly. "Quite
>the gathering we have here! Is everything all right -- I mean,
>considering the circumstances?"
>
>Esme was sitting huddled in a corner of the sofa, looking dazed.
>
>Sweetie cast a disparaging look around the room, stretched on the sofa, 
>rent the material on the arm a little with his claws, then jumped down, 
>sauntered over to Richard, bit him on the leg, and then headed for Vangie 
>and purred as he rubbed around her legs.  Clearly he too was a fan of her 
>cooking.

She reached down, petted him and slipped him a treat.

"I know I shouldn't," she said to the room in general, "but he does so like 
cake. Don't you, Sweetie?" On the last three words her voice took on the 
rich edge of impending baby-talk.

<tag the room>