"Oh,no,"she said,"it'll be quite harmless to-day.Your grandmother wanted to come too,but I wouldn't let her.I thought you could take care of me.You look so nice,Val.Just pull your coat collar up a little more at the back--that's right.""If they bully you."began Val.
"Oh!they won't.I shall be very cool.It's the only way.""They won't want me to give evidence or anything?""No,dear;it's all arranged."And she patted his hand.The determined front she was putting on it stayed the turmoil in Val's chest,and he busied himself in drawing his gloves off and on.He had taken what he now saw was the wrong pair to go with his spats;they should have been grey,but were deerskin of a dark tan;whether to keep them on or not he could not decide.They arrived soon after ten.It was his first visit to the Law Courts,and the building struck him at once.
"By Jove!"he said as they passed into the hall,"this'd make four or five jolly good racket courts."Soames was awaiting them at the foot of some stairs.
"Here you are!"he said,without shaking hands,as if the event had made them too familiar for such formalities."It's Happerly Browne,Court I.We shall be on first."A sensation such as he had known when going in to bat was playing now in the top of Val's chest,but he followed his mother and uncle doggedly,looking at no more than he could help,and thinking that the place smelled 'fuggy.'People seemed to be lurking everywhere,and he plucked Soames by the sleeve.