CHAPTER FIVEBy the time that tea was ready Erlina had helped Mrs. Dawes to produce what was an attractive and delicious meal.
There were sandwiches, scones and hot buttered toast, as well as a number of little cakes and there was a large sultana cake at which Mrs. Dawes was an undoubted expert.
Hignet had helped and then Erlina asked him to go to tell the Marquis and his guests that tea was now ready.
“I hopes that his Lordship’s gettin’ rid of them, that’s what I hopes,” Hignet said. “You can bet your last penny as Mr. Oliver’ll be schemin’ to get some more money out of him and that’s a genuine certainty”
“Why should the Marquis be so generous to him?” Erlina asked.
“Mr. Oliver be his Heir Presumptive,” Hignet replied.
“Heir Presumptive?” Erlina exclaimed. “Do you mean that ‒ if the
