Loving, Living, Party Going (14 page)

'I wanted to get away from 'ome,' she interrupted.

'You wanted to leave home so you went into service,' he echoed. 'All right. You've been here 'ow long? Sixteen months O.K. All that period you ate their grub, took your wage, and didn't give more in return than would cover a tanner. I'm not blaming, mind, I've done the same. Now then when they're entitled to a month's notice you want to welsh no offence to cook. Don't call her cook she don't like it,' he added referring to Mrs Welch, and seemingly in high good humour.

'Forty quid a year and all found then to have a hundred Jerries after me no thank you,' she said.

'Kate Armstrong,' Edith cried out.

'Send in your notice then,' Raunce went on, 'there's nothing and nobody to stop you. But give them the four weeks that's coming to 'em. And be called up in the Army when you land on the other side.'

'What d'you mean get called up?'

'Didn't you know? They've Army police waitin' where the travellers come off the boat. You'll be took straight off to the depot.'

'I wouldn't go.'

'Then if you resist it's the glass 'ouse for you my girl.'

'The glass 'ouse? What's that?'

'Army Detention Barracks ducks It's rough in them places.'

'Well I don't know, you are cheerful aren't you,' Kate said.

'That's right you forget all about it,' he answered. He winked his bluest eye at Edith so Kate could not see him.

Looking round the coiner into the great kitchen Miss Burch said,

'I was going to have a lie down for ten minutes but here I am.'

Mrs Welch was alone with her notebook. She did not look up. She called out,

'Jane a cup of tea for Miss Burch.'

Agatha sat down across the table from her. She did not speak again until the tea was brought. Then she came out almost tragically dramatic, in a very different tone to the one she had used in the servants' hall.

'They're not either of them coming back now,' she said. 'There's been a telegram. They're staying over.'

'Not ever?' Mrs Welch enquired sharp, drawing a tumbler of what appeared to be water towards her.

'Oh I don't go so far as that Mrs Welch,' Miss Burch replied, 'I wouldn't like to say they were never returning, but here we are now on our own and there's Raunce in there over his dinner upsetting my girls with his talk of the war and this I.R.A. worry.'

'I never let that man into my kitchen.'

'You're one of the lucky ones Mrs Welch. You've a place you can call your own.'

'Ah,' this woman answered, 'but run over by two-legged mice.'

'Can't keep nothing safe,' she went on after a silence, and took a gulp out of the glass. 'It's me kidneys,' she explained.

'I wonder you don't take that hot,' Miss Burch commented.

'Hot?' Mrs Welch cried. 'Not on your life not with...' and then she checked herself. 'It's not natural to sup what's been heated except when it's soup or broth,' she went on careful. Miss Burch eyed the tumbler. On which Mrs Welch put her head back and drank what was left at one go, as if in defiance. 'There you are,' she said to Agatha in a thicker voice.

'Very soon if he carries on in the way he's doing,' Miss Burch began again rather quickly, 'I'll remain to do the work alone. Even now with Miss Swift taken bad there's only Edith to look after the children.'

At this Mrs Welch without warning let out a shout of, 'Who took my waterglass tell me that,' and leaned right across the table.

'Bless me,' Miss Burch said, hurriedly drinking up her tea. 'But it's not as if it was any more trouble takin' your Albert out for the afternoons I'm sure. The girl's bringing a third along doesn't amount to nothing,' she said.

At this point, as Agatha was getting up to go, Mary the scullery maid came in the door.

'I spoke to the butcher'm,' she said.

There was a heavy silence. At last Mrs Welch replied unctuously,

'So you spoke in spite of what I said,' From her voice she might have been pleased.

' 'E said Captain Davenport had left for England sudden. Jane and me's wonderin' if per'aps they've learned something about this invasion.'

'Maybe there's something you don't know Mary,' Miss Burch said, 'and which has nothing to do with wars or rumours of wars.'

'I won't wear it,' Mrs Welch suddenly shouted out thumping the table. 'You'll get us all butchered in our beds that's what I tell you.'

'I was only out by the larder when he rang the bell'm an' I 'id behind the monument like you said but 'e must've catched sight of my dress for he came behind.'

'Did he?' Miss Burch announced with dignity. 'There's no end to it nowadays,' she said She stopped by the door, turned back towards Mrs Welch. 'And the Captain's gone over you say? I shall go and he down.'

'Well don't stand there lookin' Mary, get on with your work,' Mrs Welch remarked as if exhausted and once she was alone got out the key, unlocked the cupboard, and poured another measure of gin.

'For why?' she asked herself aloud, 'because it ain't no use.'

When they broke up after dinner in the servants' hall Albert went to clear away in the nursery. Kate followed to help Paddy returned to his lamproom. This gave Raunce a chance to say to Edith quite formal,

'Have you seen the pictures in my room?'

She called him every day now with his early tea. So she said,.

'What d'you mean?'

'Why the pictures I've hanged on the walls.'

She had done this bedroom out these last five weeks and had
carefully examined what he had put in place of Mr Eldon's Coronation likenesses of King Edward and his Danish Queen.

'What's that?' she asked.

'It's brought a big improvement you'll see,' he answered, leading the way. He said twice to himself, 'if I make it seem ordinary she'll follow,' and did not look round for he heard her come after. But his legs went shaky. Probably it was trying to counteract this that made him walk stiff.

'Mortal damp these passages are,' he remarked as their footfalls echoed.

'You want to take care with those swollen glands,' she replied.

'That's why I've got it well wrapped round,' he said. 'Trust little Charley.' It was not long before he was opening his door and entering in front of her.

'Well?' he asked, 'what d'you say to that? Brightens the old place up doesn't it?'

Making herself dainty she looked once more at the two colourful lithographs of Windsor Castle, and the late King George's Coronation Coach, a plain house photograph of Etonians including Mr Jack in tails, and the polychrome print of scarlet-coated soldiers marching in bearskins. The frames were black and matched.

'The British Grenadiers girl,' he said hearty. 'Grenadier Guardsmen they are,' he said. 'Finest soldiers in the world,' he added.

She let this pass, merely enquiring if the pictures were not out of Mr Jack's old playroom and if he did not think they would mind his taking them.

'I don't pay attention,' he announced.

'So I notice,' she said.

'Well what's the object?' he wanted to know. 'They can't remember what they've got.' He was getting almost brisk with her.

'No,' she replied, 'but that's not saying they would never recognize a picture which is hung on the wall.'

'All right,' he said, 'what then? They couldn't make out I'd took it could they when it's in the house all the time.'

'Oh I'm not talkin' of that old picture,' she replied, hot looking at him. 'There's other matters I've noticed.'

'Really!' he asked as though he had not made up his mind whether or no to be sarcastic.

'Yes Mr Raunce,' she said.

'Aw come on now,' he objected, 'you don't need to call me Mr Raunce, not when we're like this. I'm Charley to you as we are.'

'All right, yes ... Charley,' she murmured.

'Listen dear you don't want to bother your head with what you see,' he began again.

'Me?' she answered. 'I'm not worrying.'

'Well then what is it you take exception to?'

'Oh nothing,' she said as if she did not care what he did.

'Should it be the lamp wicks now why they're just my perks since I come into the place,' he explained. 'I know old Aggie Burch reckons she tumbled something the other day and I don't doubt she's talked. But you needn't run away with the notion I put new wicks down in my book and then buy none. Why it's to get them a stock up. One day they might turn round to find there won't be wicks being made no mote for the duration. If I didn't tell Mrs T. they were required I couldn't get any for 'er could I?'

'It'll be all right till they find you out.'

'No one ever found out Charley Raunce. Lucky Charley they call me.'

'It's the lucky ones have furthest to fall,' she said low.

'But what's it to you?' he asked as though challenging her. 'It's nothing to you,' he said.

'I do care,' she said and turned away abruptly.

'What's this?' he enquired chuckling, a light in his eyes. Coming up behind he laid hold of her shoulders. 'Here give us a little kiss,' he said. For answer she burst into noisy tears. 'Now girlie,' he cried as if stricken, dropped his hands and sat heavily down on the bed. He seized her wrist and began rubbing the knuckles.

'Oh I don't know,' she broke out keeping her head turned so he should not see and blowing her nose, 'it's all this talk of invasion – an' the Jerries an' the Irish – then what I witnessed when I called my young lady – an' you makin' out I never seen what I did – oh it's disgustin' that's what this old place is, it's horrible,' she said.

'Why whatever's up?' Raunce asked abashed, still rubbing the back of her hand.

'First you blow hot then you blow cold,' Edith said and snuffled.

'Blow hot then cold?'

'One minute you say the Jerries are comin' over,' she complained, 'and next you won't have a body try to get over home while there's time.'

He pulled gently on her arm. 'Come and sit by father,' he said.

'Me?' she said in a brighter voice. 'What d'you take me for?'

'That's better,' he said although she was still standing there. 'The trouble with you is you take everything so dead serious.'

'And how do you view things for the matter of that?' she enquired.

'Here,' he replied, 'we don't want you jumpin' on me into the bargain. No me,' he went on, 'I take things to 'eart.'

'Yes?' she said and sat down as though bemused.

'I take things right down inside me girl,' he said putting an arm lightly round her. 'When I feel whatever it is I feel it deep. I'm not like some,' he was going on when she turned her face so that he looked into her eyes which seemed now to have a curve of laughter in their brimming light.

'Oh baby,' he said, reached out with his face. He might have been about to kiss her. She twisted slightly, came out with a 'now then,' and he ceased. 'Look,' he went on and put his other arm round her waist so that he had her in a hoop of himself and was obliged to lean awkwardly to do this. 'Look,' he said again, 'it's what is to happen to you I can't get out of my system, that I think of all the time.'

'And so you should,' she said.

'What's that?' he asked and began to pull at her. She put one hand loose on his nearest arm, holding it between a small finger and thumb.

'Well,' she answered looking away at the rain through that pointed window so that he could not see her face which was smiling, 'the two ladies are gone. They're not coming back are they? We're all alone Charley. We've only you to look to, to know what's best.' He relaxed.

'And you'd rather have it that way, eh ducks?' he asked jovial. 'What can Mrs T. do for you?'

'She can ring up them green police can't she?' Edith said loud and sudden and pushed and shook his arms off while he stayed limp. One of his arms fell across her lap. He lifted it off at once. 'They'd never come for us, not them Irish,' she said.

'Come what for?' he asked confused.

'Why to protect us if the Germans took this place for their billets,' she said.

'You don't want to pay no attention,' he told her.

'Is that so? Then what do you need to go talkin' round it for?'

'It's you I'm concerned about,' he said.

Again she took a short look at him. This time it was as if he could not understand the flash of rage on her face. He put an arm through hers. As she turned her head away he said almost hoarse,

'Here, give us a kiss.'

'Lucky we left the door open wasn't it?' she said.

'Just a small one?' he asked.

She got up.

'Have you cleaned your teeth?' she enquired.

'Have I cleaned my what?'

'Oh nothing,' she said. She did not seem so pleasant.

'Why,' he remarked, 'I brush them every morning first thing.'

'Forget it,' she said and wandered over to that group photograph of Mr Jack which she peered into.

'I can't make you out at all,' he complained, getting up to follow her.

'You will,' she replied. 'You will when those Jerries come over and start murdering us or worse in our beds. When the police begin to fight one another like you said they would.'

He stood back making motions with his hands.

'But it's you I was concerned over love,' he said.

'Me?' she took him up. 'What have I got to lose by goin' home? I'll thank you to tell me that. While if I stay on here there's worse than death can come. It'll be too late then. I got my life still to live Mr Raunce. I'm not like many have had the best part of theirs.'

'Just lately I been wonderin' if my life weren't just starting.'

'Well even if you can't tell whether you're comin' or goin' I know the way I'm placed thank you.'

'Look dear I could fall for you in a big way,' he said and he saw her back stiffen as though she had begun to hear with intense attention. She said no word.

'I could,' he went on. 'For the matter of that I have.'

At this moment she flung round on him and his hangdog face was dazzled by the excitement and scorn which seemed to blaze from her. But all she said was,

'You tell that to them all Charley.'

He appeared to rally a trifle and was about to answer when she exclaimed,

'Why Badger you dirty thing whatever have you got then?'

He turned to find the greyhound wagging its tail at him, muddy nosed, and carrying a plucked carcass that stank.

'Get off out from my premises,' he cried at once, galvanized. 'No wait,' he said. 'What've you got there mate?' The dog wagged its tail.

'Why d'you bother?' she asked impatient. 'It's only one of them peacocks.'

'One of the peacocks?' he almost shouted. 'But there'll be murder over this. No,' he added, 'you're having me on.' He made a step towards the dog which started to growl.

'That's right,' she said, 'Mrs Welch buried it away where none should see.'

'You're crazy,' he said.

'I'll have you remember who you're speaking to Charley Raunce,' she broke out at him. 'Mrs Welch thinks nobody's learned but this bird aimed a peck at 'er Albert's little neck so the little chap upped and killed it. Then she buried it in such a way that no one shouldn't know. The children told me. But I wouldn't have that stinking thing lying around in my part no thank you. Badger,' she said, 'you be off you bad dog.'

On which the dog deposited this carcass at Raunce's feet.

'Holy Moses,' he said, 'the old cow.' 'Now then,' Edith interrupted. 'That's all right,' he went on, 'I'm thinkin' of you ducks. See?'

'No I don't.'

'Well she's got it in for you about that waterglass an' now we've something on her. Get me?'

A noise of high shrieks and the clapping of hands announced Miss Evelyn and Miss Moira, tearing along towards them down passages.

'For land's sake the children,' Edith exclaimed. 'Why I declare I forgot all about...'

Meantime Raunce had dashed out into the pantry snapping his fingers at the dog. It picked up the dead peacock and followed. Raunce shut that further door behind them both. For a moment
Edith was alone as those children raced towards her the other way. Then they had arrived. She was holding her breasts.

'Mercy,' Miss Evelyn exclaimed with a trace of Cockney accent, 'why Edith you do look thrilled at something.'

Raunce's Albert came out of the door Mr Raunce had closed. He shut it again after him, on the butler and the dog and its find it carried.

'Hello Bert,' Miss Moira said.

'Hullo Miss Moira,' he replied. He just stood looking pale and miserable.

'You coming with us?' Edith asked. 'It's your afternoon off isn't it?'

'Oh yes,' he said, and a smile broke over his wan face.

'I got to get ready,' she announced. 'I'll race you two all the way up to my hide out One three go,' she shouted and they were gone. The boy got out a handkerchief, blew his nose. His weak eyes shone.

As the three of them ran the front way through all the magnificence and the gilt of that Castle Miss Evelyn looked back. She cried,

'Why couldn't Bert race with us?'

'Because he's too old,' Edith called back panting, and steadied herself round a turn of the Grand Staircase by holding the black hand of a life-sized negro boy of cast iron in a great red turban and in gold-painted clothes.

Albert went behind the door to the cellar, unhooked his mackintosh and put on the rubber boots he kept there. It was not long before the others were back ready dressed to meet showers. Edith's head was in a silk scarf Mrs Jack had given her which was red and which had for decoration the words 'I love you I love you' written all over in black longhand with rounded letters.

Albert stayed silent while the rest argued where to go. At last they decided on that walk to the temple. Miss Evelyn had a bag of scraps to feed the peacocks When they went through Raunce's pantry to reach the back door this man and the dog were gone without trace.