by Henry Green
'What's that?'
'Silk stockings,' Kate explained.
'It certainly is a change to hear you have a good word for this place,' Edith said.
Kate let it pass. 'Why don't we have the talks we used to Edie?' she asked.
'Land's sakes I expect it's we're too tired for anything when we do get up in the old room,' Edith answered.
'We used to have some lovely talks Edie.'
'Maybe we've got past talkin'.'
'What d'you mean by that?'
'Well things is different now Kate.'
'If you're referring to the fact that you've an understandin' with Mr Raunce that's no reason to tell me nothing about you, or about him for that matter, is it?'
Edith laughed at this.
'O.K. dear,' she said, 'you win. You go on asking then?'
'You are going to be married Edie?'
'We are that,' Edith said, lying down full length. Both girls looked up at the ceiling, stretched out on their backs airing their feet.
'Well I wish you all I could wish meself,' Kate said in a low voice.
'Thanks love,' Edith replied matter of fact.
'When's it going to be?'
'As soon as I've got me a few pretties together I shouldn't wonder,' Edith answered.
At this a sort of snorting sob came from the other bed. Edith rolled to look, then sat up. 'Why you're crying,' she exclaimed. She came across and sat on the edge of Kate's eiderdown.
'Whatever for? You are silly,' she added gentle. 'Here,' she said, 'look at you right on top of the quilting. Let's get you comfortable.' She began to roll Kate across to one side to get the eiderdown from underneath her. Kate was limp. 'Oh Edie' she wailed and started to cry noisily.
'Hush dear,' Edith murmured, 'someone'll hear.' She began to ease Kate's clothes off.
'Oh Edie,' Kate moaned. Edith stopped to wipe the girl's face which was damp with tears.
'There,' Edith said. 'Now don't you pay attention love. They're nothin' but an old lot of muddlers every one.' She covered Kate's greenish body up.
Kate's violent crying passed to hiccups.
'Why,' she asked turning so that she could watch Edith, 'has one of them spoken about me?'
'No not a word.'
'I got the hiccups,' Kate announced, almost started a giggle. She brightened.' 'Cause you'd've known what to tell 'em if they had?'
'Of course I would dear,' Edith was stroking the nape of Kate's neck.
'Oh that's nice love,' this girl said. She blew her nose on the handkerchief Edith had left ready to hand. 'You don't know what a lot of good that's doin'.'
'And so it should,' Edith answered.
'Thanks duck. And now we're like we used to be isn't that right?'
'That's right.'
'I can't make out what came over me,' Kate went on. 'Honest I can't.'
'It's a hard bloody world.'
'Why Edith I never thought to hear you swear of all people, I didn't that.'
'It's the truth Kate just the same.'
'You're right it is,' Kate said. 'Look I've got rid of my 'iccups. That's one good thing. Yes there's times I could bust right out with it all. It gets you down. An' then your tellin' me about you an' Mr Raunce.'
'I thought you said once you'd never give him a Mr.'
'Oh Edie that's different. Now you're to be married I must show my respect.'
'I don't know dear. I'm sure you can call him Charley for all I care.'
'Have it any way you want,' said Kate peaceably. 'An' where will you live? Are you planning to stay in Kinalty?'
'Yes we got our eye on that little place in the demesne.'
'Oh isn't that lovely.'
'And we're thinking of gettin' his mother to come over to be with us so she will be out of the bombin'.'
'Oh isn't that nice,' Kate said and seemed to choke. She began to cry silently again, great tears welling from her shut eyes.
'Why love,' Edith asked, 'is anything the matter?'
'No,' Kate wailed.
'You're sure now?' Edith went on. Then she asked, There's nothing going to happen to you is there?'
'Me?' Kate echoed, suddenly quiet. 'You mean on account of Paddy don't you?'
Then there is,' Edith said. Her eyes opened wide.
'Why Edie,' Kate replied serious, 'you wouldn't ever believe that surely?'
'That's all right then.'
'Never in your life,' Kate went on. 'So you guessed?'
'It was Albert told my young ladies. That little bastard had it from Mrs Welch. There's no other word to describe the lad.'
'She calls 'im that 'erself so Jane told me. She heard her.'
'Would you believe it?' Edith murmured.
'But Paddy's not what you suppose dear,' Kate said as if she had given Edith's last remark a certain meaning. 'You've no need to bother yourself about that between Paddy an' me. I'm not goin' to have nothing don't worry. No it was everything got me down all of a sudden.'
'You weren't thinkin' of him in such a way then?'
'Well there's not much else to think of is there Edie?'
'Why he's a Roman.'
'That don't make no difference.'
'I don't suppose it should. But these Irish are not like us.'
'Once I get Paddy smartened up you'd never recognize him for one.'
'But what about his speech, Kate?'
'Yes I know that's a problem. It'll be the hardest thing to alter.'
'So you are considering him?' Edith asked.
'There's nobody else. A girl gets lonely,' Kate answered beginning to cry once more. 'And I think you're not bein' gracious about it,' she added.
'There dear,' Edith said, 'you're upset.'
'Don't go,' Kate muttered between sobs.
'I'm not goin' love. You quiet yourself. Life's not easy.'
'You're tellin' me,' Kate agreed and pulled herself together to blow her nose. 'Now d'you know what's come about?'
'What's that?' Edith asked as she began to stroke her again.
'He's in a terrible state about them eggs.'
'What eggs?'
'Why the eggs you put away under waterglass in this very room,' Kate answered.
'But that was months ago. However did he come to learn?'
'It was young Albert again who else? I promise I never told 'im nothin'. I wouldn't do such a thing. And then in addition Mr Raunce went and informed about that peacock Mrs Welch had in the larder. Oh Edie 'e got in such a state. I was frighted.'
'I'll speak of this to Charley,' Edith said grim.
'It's as you like,' Kate replied, 'but 'e worships the birds, there you are love, he fair worships 'em. There's nothing I can do. And what he's just learned has made 'im act so strange. I don't know what to think, honest I don't.'
'Then what does he say he'll do?' Edith enquired.
'Why 'e talks as if 'e was goin' to lock 'em up and never let the things out any more. Can you tell me how Mrs Tennant'll see that?'
'I'd forgotten all about those old eggs,' Edith said. Then she added in a wondering voice, 'I suppose it was me knowin' I had no more use for 'em.'
'What d'you mean no more use? You used to reckon they'd still be good for your skin even if they had been stood in that stuff.'
'Yes,' Edith said, 'it's not that I've no need any more for my face which'll still come in handy I don't doubt. But the fact is now Raunce an' me's come to an understanding I got no time for charms.'
'I shouldn't wonder if he didn't find time for yours even if you shouldn't,' Kate remarked archly.
Edith blushed.
'Look,' Kate cried and seemed far more cheery, 'you're blushin'.'
'It's not that kind you mention,' Edith said. 'I meant like crossing a gipsy's palm with silver at the fair. A charm to make you seem different,' she explained.
'Would they do the same for me d'you suppose?'
'I don't know Kate seein' I've never tried.'
'But if 'e came upon it Edie 'e'd strangle me.'<
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'Like little Albert did to one of his peacocks?' Edith was smiling.
'You don't know 'im Edie, there's no one could tell what action 'e'd take.'
'Why should he ever learn?' Edith asked.
'There's not much is kept mum in this house love.'
'O.K. then. But it's only the children after all, Kate, as we've found since little Albert came. They'll never discover. I shan't tell.'
'But d'you think it's real what you believed about the things?'
'There's this to it Kate. He loves the birds, you've just said so. If you used their eggs and he was ignorant then it might do something to him.'
'Just imagine me smarming that muck over my face and chest to please. What we girls do have to put up with.'
'Go on,' Edith said, 'that's nothing,' Both began to giggle. Edith put the heel of her hand up to cover her mouth. 'For land's sake,' she cried.
'And when they come at you...' Kate began then stopped. She started laughing helplessly all of a sudden. Edith joined in. Within a minute they were exchanging breathless and indistinct accounts of the antics men get up to, in between shrieks of giggling.
Later that afternoon came over dark with a storm outside. Edith had filled a polished copper jug and was hurrying down the Long Passage to lay the hot water in Mrs Jack's washbasin when she saw something move in an open doorway into the dressing room next door. She stopped dead, raised her free hand to her heart. But it was Raunce.
'You Charley,' she said low when she saw him, 'why I nearly spilled it.'
'Sorry ducks,' he answered, whispering also, 'I was only puttin' out his things.'
'Whatever for?' she asked. 'You don't do that so early do you?'
'Well if you're speaking of the hour I'll wager this hot water you're carryin' will go cold before she comes to use it.'
'There's a cover I put over the jug stupid,' she replied. 'Are you goin' to tell me you didn't know that after all the years you've been here?'
'I don't like to let you out of my sight.'
'Why Charley,' she said warm, 'you don't mean to say you've got him on your mind again?'
'Well it's not right when he might come across you in his own bedroom.'
'Have you ever heard?' she muttered in a delighted voice and went inside Mrs Jack's room. He followed after.
'I don't know,' he said, 'but I gave you a bit of a start. I saw.'
'Oh these jugs,' she began, 'they will tarnish. And when we're shorthanded like we are.'
'You give'm to me in the morning an' I'll rub'm up for you.'
'Not if you set Albert to it I won't.'
'Where did you get that notion?' he enquired. He was looking at her as he usually did nowadays, like a spaniel dog.
'I move around,' she answered.
'No. What I do for you I do for you,' he announced. 'Who'd you take me for?'
'Take you for? You're not so easily mistaken for anyone.'
'Just now,' he explained, 'you thought I was someone else.'
'You do want to know a great deal.' She was smiling. They stood close to each other. Then she reached up to finger a button on his coat. She poked at it as though at a bell. He did not seem to dare touching her.
'I'll have to be on hand each time you come up that's all,' he said.
'But what about your work?'
'Only when it's like now, when there's none of us about dear,' he appealed.
'You are silly,' she replied and gave him a quick kiss.
'But did he ever?' he asked still rigid.
'See here,' she said, 'you may have your Albert to do everything for you but I've not, I'm on my own.' She crossed over to the bed. 'Look,' she said. She took a black silk transparent nightdress out of its embroidered case. 'What d'you say to that Charley?'
He gazed, obviously struck dumb. She held it up in front of her. She put a hand in at the neck so that he could see the veiled skin. He began to breathe heavy.
'It's wicked that's all,' he announced at last while she watched.
'What?' she echoed. 'Not more than it was with mam'selle surely?'
' 'Ow d'you mean Edie?'
'"There's many a time I'd give her a long bong jour,"' she quoted.
'I never,' he said and took a step forward.
'That's you men all over,' she went on.
'Her?' he protested. He had gone quite white. 'Why you're crackers. That two pennorth of French sweat rag?'
'Now you're being disgustin' dear.'
'I can't make you out,' he said coming towards her.
'No,' she cried, 'you stop where you are. I'm goin' to punish you. What d'you say if we took this for when we are married? How would I look eh Charley?' And she held that nightdress before her face.
'Punishment eh?' he laughed. If it had been a spell then he seemed to be out of it for the moment. 'That's all you girls think of. Why holy Moses,' he added as if trying to appear gay, 'that piece of cobweb ain't for us.'
'Don't you reckon I'd look nice in it then?' She lowered the nightdress till he could see she was pouting.
'You'd appear like a bloody tart,' he said, then broadly smiled. She stamped her foot.
'Don't you swear at me of all people Charley.'
'O.K.,' he said.
'Why,' she went on, returning to the charge, 'not above a minute or two ago you were puffin' like a grampus.'
'What's a grampus honey?' he asked and looked a bit daunted.
'Wouldn't you like to know?' she teased him.
'I can't make out why you want all this mystification,' he said. 'Honest you've got me so I'm anyhow.'
'An' so you should be Charley dearest'
'Oh Edie,' he gasped moving forward. The room had grown immeasurably dark from the storm massed outside. Their two bodies flowed into one as he put his arms about her. The shape they made was crowned with his head, on top of a white sharp curved neck, dominating and cruel over the blur that was her mass of hair through which her lips sucked at him warm and heady.
'Edie,' he muttered breaking away only to drive his face down into hers once more. But he was pressing her back into a bow shape. 'Edie,' he called again.
With a violent shove and twist she pushed him off. As she wiped her mouth on the back of a hand she remarked as though wondering,
'You aren't like this first thing are you?'
This must have been a reference to the fact that when she called him with a cup of tea in the mornings he never kissed her then as he lay in bed. Or he must have understood it as such because, standing as he was like he had been drained of blood, he actually moaned.
'Why,' he said, 'that wouldn't be right.'
'Don't you love me in the early hours then?'
'Sweetheart,' he protested.
'With me carryin' you a cup of tea and all?'
'Well it's usually half cold at that,' he said, seeming to pull himself together.
'Oho,' she cried and began to do her hair with Mrs Jack's comb. 'Then I won't bring no more.'
'I'd been intending to speak to you about that very point,' he began shamefaced. 'I don't know that you should continue with the practice. It might lead to talk,' he said.
'Charley you don't say I'm not to,' she appealed and seemed really hurt. 'Why, don't you like me fetchin' your tea?'
'It's not that dear.'
She turned vast reproachful eyes on him.
'I was kidding myself you would fancy me above any other to open your eyes on first thing,' she repeated softly grumbling.
'It's the rest,' he moaned.
'Just because I'm keeping myself for you on our wedding night you reckon they'd think you're free with me?' she asked as though he had hit her.
'Well that's what would happen isn't it, being as they are?' he enquired.
'Oh Charley,' she went on gentle but reproachful, 'that's cowardly so it is?'
'You know I love you don't you?' he entreated and took hold of her hands. She was limp.
'Yes.'
'Well then,' he went on, 'w
e don't want no chitter chatter do we?'
'You mean no one shouldn't know in case you change your mind about our being married?' she asked. There was laughter now in her voice.
'What's comical in that when you've just spoken a lie?' he demanded.
'All right then I'll not bring your old tea again that's all.' She laid her arms round his neck and gave him a powerful kiss. Putting his hands against her shoulders he pushed her away.
'You said yourself we were on a good thing an' didn't want to lose this place,' he explained.
'I never imagined you could do without me pulling your curtains. So the first you set eyes on every new day should be me.'
'I love you that's why honey,' he said.
'O.K.,' she said, 'but you're to do the explainin' with Mother Burch mind.'
'That's a good girl. Holy smoke,' he exclaimed, 'an' there's my lad forgotten to lay their table I'll be bound. I'll be seeing you,' he said. He fairly stumbled out.
Some days later Mrs Jack unexpectedly entered the Blue Drawing Room to find her mother-in-law in tears beneath a vaulted roof painted to represent the evening sky at dusk. Mrs Tennant immediately turned her face away to hide her state. She was seated forlorn, plumb centre of this chamber, on an antique Gothic imitation of a hammock slung between four black marble columns and cunningly fashioned out of gold wire. But she had not concealed her tears in time. Mrs Jack saw. She went across at once.
'Why you poor thing,' she said rubbing the point of Mrs Tennant's shoulder with the palm of a hand.
'I'm sorry to make such a fool of myself Violet,' this older woman said from between gritted teeth and got out a handkerchief.
'I think you've been perfectly wonderful dear,' Mrs Jack suggested.
'Really I don't know how your generation bears it,' Mrs Tennant went on. She blew her nose while Mrs Jack stood ill at ease.
As she rubbed the shoulder of her husband's mother she was surrounded by milking stools, pails, clogs, the cow byre furniture all in gilded wood which was disposed around to create the most celebrated eighteenth-century folly in Eire that had still to be burned down.
'You've been absolutely magnificent Violet,' Mrs T. continued. 'Here he's been gone three days God knows where on active service if he hasn't already sailed. There's been not a whimper out of you once.'
'Don't,' his wife said sharp and gripped that shoulder in such a way as to hurt the older woman.
