"Fifty-eight, isn't it, auntie?"
"I was just giving that as an example," said Mrs. Stevens with great dignity.
Audrey threaded a needle, held her hand out and looked at her nails critically for a moment, and then began to sew.
"Funny thing that about Mr. Mark's brother. Fancy not seeing your brother for fifteen years." She gave a self-conscious laugh and went on, "Wonder what I should do if I didn't see Joe for fifteen years."
"As I told you all this morning," said her aunt, "I've been here five years, and never heard of a brother. I could say that before everybody if I was going to die to-morrow. There's been no brother here while I've been here."
"You could have knocked me down with a feather when he spoke about him at breakfast this morning.
I didn't hear what went before, naturally, but they was all talking about the brother when I went in-now what was it I went in for-hot milk, was it, or toast?-well, they was all talking, and Mr. Mark turns to me, and says-you know his way-'Stevens,' he says, 'my brother is coming to see me this afternoon; I'm expecting him about three,' he says.
Show him into the office,' he says, just like that.
Yes, sir,' I says quite quietly, but I was never so surprised in my life, not knowing he had a brother.
My brother from Australia,' he says-there, I'd forgotten that.