Ewart couldn't fathom that the newspaper the younger man was reading - though he seemed to be well-enough engrossed in it - was at all an interesting pursuit to make up one's breaktime. And the hat, he said, was not his. All the better. It would surprise them both.
"A liking?" He echoed, chuckling mildly at the question. It was not an exceptional hat, in looks: it was of a safe shade and a modest trim, nothing flashy in personality, hardly a hat to crow about. But they would see, now wouldn't they?
If the young man proved agreeable, that was. "Let's reserve judgement on that, why don't we," Ewart said in a conversational non-answer, and instead leaned over a fraction closer. "Indeed, I had a hope you might do me a favour," he explained, gently nudging the hat towards the gentleman, "and pop it on for a moment."
"A liking?" He echoed, chuckling mildly at the question. It was not an exceptional hat, in looks: it was of a safe shade and a modest trim, nothing flashy in personality, hardly a hat to crow about. But they would see, now wouldn't they?
If the young man proved agreeable, that was. "Let's reserve judgement on that, why don't we," Ewart said in a conversational non-answer, and instead leaned over a fraction closer. "Indeed, I had a hope you might do me a favour," he explained, gently nudging the hat towards the gentleman, "and pop it on for a moment."
