The Therapeutic Effects of Tea
by sloanranger
Part 7
The sisters struck up a casual acquaintance with Ernest Sibley over the next few months, fueled in no small part by his ardent admiration of their motorcar and the good taste and sense of the parent that had purchased and left it to them. After Ernest's mention of his sideline, the ladies approached him one spring day to enquire about his services as handyman.
"Petrol, Misses?"
"Not today, Mr. Sibley. You mentioned as how you did some carpentry. We have a cabinet in the kitchen that wants fixing. Can you come by?"
"Don't know about carpentry, Misses, but I've 'ammered a nail or two."
"Can you come, Ernest?" Verna, the older sister pressed.
"I can Miss. Wednesday next, suit?"
"That will do nicely. Say, eleven o'clock?"
The following Wednesday Ernest found the house in a leafy Manchester suburb.The two storied home of a successful tradesman, it had the traditional English garden in the front. An old carriage house sat in the rear, used now as a garage for the beautiful car he so admired.
Ernie put new hinges on the cabinet door and tightened one of the knobs. It was a simple job but the sisters made such a fuss you'd have thought he had built them a new kitchen. They gave him tea and biscuits afterwards and as he was finishing his tea, Miss Viola smiled conspiratorially at her sister.
"Oh, Mr. Sibley, if you have time today, Verna and I were just saying as how the Daimler could use a wash and a good polish. What do you say?"
Well, of course Ernie didn't say anything except to ask where they kept the buckets and to give the sisters one of his dazzling smiles.
(To be continued).