Sir William gave a short laugh. ‘They will send for me, of course,’ he said. Then he clapped his hands together, rubbing enthusiastic warmth into them. ‘And for my new assistant, Mr Archer. We shall have some work to do — both here and at Lorimore’s foundries, I imagine.’
‘So, what will you tell them?’ Liz asked, looking from George to Sir William. ‘What will I tell my father?’ she added quietly. ‘If he even notices I’ve been gone.’
‘Yes,’ George said, ‘what will we say to the police?’
Sir William frowned. ‘I don’t know about you,’ he said, ‘but I shall tell them …’ His voice tailed off as he considered. ‘Yes, most definitely,’ he decided. ‘I shall tell them that I need breakfast.’ Then he clapped Eddie on the back, laughing with him and leading the way down the road. ‘Let me treat you, my friends,’ he declared. ‘I think you deserve it.’
‘Oh no,’ Eddie told him, running to catch up. ‘Let me treat you.’ He pulled a leather wallet from his pocket and opened it to show them the bundle of notes inside.
‘Where did you get that?’ Liz demanded.
‘Lorimore’s pocket,’ Eddie said. ‘I reckon he owes us breakfast. And,’ he added, ‘I don’t reckon he needs this no more. Just one thing …’
‘And what is that?’ Sir William asked.
‘Bacon and stuff is fine,’ Eddie said. ‘But no more eggs. All right?’