Loving - Green Henry - Страница 18

'I'll bet they overslept,' Kate announced while Raunce's lad gaped at Edith. Raunce could not let this pass.

'That's enough thank you my gel,' he said, 'I'll thank you…' he was going on when a great braying laugh started out of the lamp-man. It swelled. It filled the room. Raunce said, 'Look what you've done,' and in his turn began to laugh. Kate joined in. So at last did Edith. These two girls did not giggle this time, they both deeply laughed. Only Bert was left as if embarrassed, twisting a fork over and over on the table.

'Why?' Raunce threw out at the first pause and in Nanny Swift's falsetto. 'All night? And in the same bed as well? Oh dear.'

'And I hope she enjoyed it there,' Kate pronounced, become serious.

'Now Kate!' Edith said starting to blush. Raunce watched.

'I got nothing against 'er,' Kate went on. 'She's all right she is.; Because it's not natural for a married woman with 'er 'usband away i' at the war. Not that Mr Jack ever was…' but at this Raunce interrupted loud.

'Now then,' he said, 'what d'you know about bein' a married woman?'

'Not that 'e ever was much to go on with,' Kate finished dogged.

'You can say what you please,' Edith replied scarlet and they could all see that she was truly angry still. 'But 'e tried to get me in a dark corner one morning just the same,' she said.

'E didn't,' Raunce broke out.

'Oh there's no call for you to fash yourself Mr Raunce, there was I no harm done nor offence taken if you're so keen to learn.'

'I'm sure it's no concern of mine,' he said and seemed on tenterhooks.

'Now you mention it I wouldn't say he'd never made a grab at me,' Kate brought out in a small voice. With great calmness Raunce commented, 'You surprise me.'

'You don't like to say he'd never but you never have said he did,' Edith cried and seemed to accuse.

'O. K. dear O. K. I know you found Mrs Jack and the Captain.'

'Of course I found 'em,' Edith remarked subsiding.

'Well now who's going to take her tray?' Raunce asked. Tell you what, I will.'

'But that would give 'er the idea you thought the Captain was up there yet,' Edith objected.

'Go on then I'll take the old tray,' Kate offered.

'Then she'll think I'm on to what she was doing last night,' said Edith.

'Well so she must if you did discover 'em.'

'All right dear I needs must then even if I should drop it,' Edith announced as she got up from table. She stood there and looked full at Raunce.

'It's not the job for a man, not this morning,' she said to him and went out.

'What d'you make of that Paddy?' Kate enquired but Raunce told her to shut her mouth with such sudden violence that she dropped her gimlet eyes. Then he went out to get the tray ready for Edith.

So it was left to Edith to carry up that breakfast which she did as though nothing had occurred. She found the mistress sitting in bed wearing her best nightdress and bedjacket. She did not look at Edith but said at once, collected, 'I'm going over to England by the night boat. Would you tell Raunce to get on the phone and reserve a cabin if he can? And ask the Nanny if she would come along to see me now?'

To-day Madam?'

'Yes to-night I think. Not the day after to-morrow any longer. I've changed my plans.'

'Very good Madam.'

As Edith came into the passage outside and shut the door she found Miss Burch waiting white-lipped. This woman asked almost under her breath, 'Were you all right dear?'

'I was O. K.,' Edith whispered back. And then. 'She's leavin' tonight instead.'

'With him d'you wonder?'

'Oh no,' Edith replied serious, 'it stands out a mile she can't bring herself to face me. That's why.'

There was nothing between the Captain and you was there my girl?'

'Are you crazy?' Edith broke out loud. Hearing this from inside the room Mrs Jack cowered, put a trembling hand over her lips, and pushed the tray to one side. 'Can you beat that?' Edith asked violent.

'Hush dear,' Miss Burch whispered. 'Very well then. We'll never mention what you saw again. You see I trust you. Never, you understand me?'

'Yes Miss Burch,' Edith replied. From her tone she was calming down. But as she went off to find the nanny she said to herself over and over, 'now would you believe it?' By the time she had got to the nursery she was repeating way down her throat, 'that's how they are at their age, they go funny.' And she gave Miss Swift the message as though to an enemy.

This very moment?' this woman asked frantic.

That's what she said.'

'Of all the times? And in the morning too? Then you'll oblige me by watching ' em till I'm back or they'll go dropping each other out to their deaths.'

While the nanny patted her hair, wiped her face with a handkerchief and then, after hesitating, was gone, Edith stood slack at one of the high windows and did not seem to see those bluebells already coming up between wind-stunted beeches which grew out of the Grove onto that part of the lawn till their tops were level with her eyes. Also there was a rainbow from the sun on a shower blowing in from the sea but you could safely say she took no notice. Nor paid heed to the shrieks next door of two little girls at a game.

Miss Swift had been Mrs Jack's nanny when this lady was a tiny tot so she addressed her as Miss Violet. When told of the journey which had been put forward Miss Swift did not beat about the bush. She said roundly there was one thing poor old nanny felt to the heart and that was forgetfulness. For this day was to have been her afternoon out. If Miss Violet was going who was there left to look after the children when nobody cared? Or would silly old nanny have to go to the wall?

'How could you when I'm not feeling well?' was Mrs Jack's answer, delivered in a little girl's whining voice and she added, 'Edith can look after them perfectly.'

Then who's to pack for you? Not me with my back Miss Violet.'

'I'd never thought. But if I asked Agatha nicely?'

'You're pale Miss Violet, you want a pill,' was Miss Swift's answer.

'Want a pill?' and the young woman spoke sharp now as if to ask what was behind this.

'When you're that colour it means you're constipated. Even if you don't know I should who cared for you from the start. Right pale. You lie there. I won't be a minute.'

Mrs Jack possibly knew better than to argue. 'Tell Agatha I want her then,' was all she said.

Miss Swift came across Miss Burch at once. Agatha might almost have been said to be on guard in that Long Passage.

'She wants you in there,' Miss Swift told her barely civil.

'Me?' Miss Burch enquired, 'what for?'

'I couldn't say,' Miss Swift replied, 'I don't meddle in other's business.'

'Well I'm not going,' Miss Burch announced. 'Not again. Wild horses couldn't.'

'What's come over you?' Miss Swift asked coming to a halt some distance up the passage. 'First I get impertinence from one of your girls which I don't pay attention to because I know how it is at their age always worriting over men and now you cast Miss Violet in my face. What's this?'

'I don't mind what you tell her you can please yourself but I'm not going in,' and Miss Burch added under her breath, 'And I could tell you something about your lily would make you say poor me but I won't.'

That's nice I must say,' Miss Swift in her innocence replied. 'You draw your monthly wage yet you're gettin' like your girls, you want this and that besides."

'You can leave my girls out of your conversation thanking you Miss Swift. They have more to put up with than you'll ever learn I hope.'

'Now you're being nothing but ridiculous. Poor nanny,' Miss Swift added and her face seemed to wrinkle as though about to cast a skin.

'No thank you,' Miss Burch said inconsequent and turned her back.

The nanny appeared to take hold of herself. She started on her way once more. 'I don't know I'm sure,' she said over her shoulder, making off to the medicine cupboard. She left Miss Burch outside that bedroom door but when she was back with a glass of water and a flat box in her hands, she found Miss Burch inside saying, 'yes Madam, no Madam,' at the side of the bed after all, plainly ill at ease yet taking instructions about what and about what not to pack.