by Henry Green
'No I didn't, not from the way you go on I didn't.'
The trouble with you girls is you take everything so solemn. Now all I was asking was why you looked in on us while you came down to dinner?'
Thinkin' I came to see you I suppose,' she said. She turned to look at him. What she saw made her giggle mouth open and almost soundless. Then she slapped a hand across her teeth and ran on ahead. He took no notice. With a swirl of the coloured skirt of her uniform she turned a corner in front along this high endless corridor. The tap of her shoes faded. He walked on. He appeared to be thinking. He went so soft he might have been a ghost without a head. But as he made his way he repeated to himself, over and over, This time I'll take his old chair. I must.'
He arrived to find the household seated at table waiting, except for Mrs Welch and her two girls who ate in the kitchen and for Bert who was late. There was his place laid for Raunce next Miss Burch. Kate and Edith were drawn up ready. They sat with hands folded on laps before their knives, spoons and forks. At the head, empty, was the large chair from which Mr Eldon had been accustomed to preside. At the last and apart sat Paddy the lampman. For this huge house, which was almost entirely shut up, had no electric light.
Charley went straight over to a red mahogany sideboard that was decorated with a swan at either end to support the top on each long curved neck. In the centre three ferns were niggardly growing in gold Worcester vases. He took out a knife, a spoon and a fork. He sat down in Mr Eldon's chair, the one with arms. Seated, he laid his own place. They all stared at him.
'What are we waiting for?' he said into the silence. He took out a handkerchief again. Then he blew his nose as though nervous.
'Would you be in a draught?' Miss Burch enquired at last.
'Why no thank you,' he replied. The silence was pregnant.
'I thought perhaps you might be,' she said and sniffed.
At that he turned to see whether he had forgotten to close the door. It was shut all right. The way he looked made Kate choke.
'I heard no one venture a pleasantry,' Miss Burch announced at this girl.
'I thought I caught Paddy crack one of his jokes,' Raunce added with a sort of violence. A grin spread over this man's face as it always did when his name was mentioned. He was uncouth, in shirtsleeves, barely coming up over the table he was so short. With a thick dark neck and face he had a thatch of hair which also sprouted grey from the nostrils. His eyes were light blue as was one of Charley's, for Raunce had different coloured eyes, one dark one light which was arresting.
The girls looked down to their laps.
'Or maybe she swallowed the wrong way although there's nothing on the table and it's all growing cold in the kitchen,' Raunce continued. He got no reply.
'Well what are we waiting on?' he asked.
'Why for your precious lad to fetch in our joint,' Miss Burch replied.
'I shouldn't wonder if the nursery hasn't detained him,' was Charley's answer.
Then Kate had better bring it,' Miss Burch said. And they sat without a word while she was gone. Twice Agatha made as though to speak, seated as he was for the first time in Mr Eldon's place, but she did not seem able to bring it to words. Her eyes, which before now had been dull, each sported a ripple of light from tears. Until, after Kate had returned laden Raunce cast a calculated look at Miss Burch as he stood to carve, saying, 'Nor I won't go. Not even if it is to be Church of England I don't aim to watch them lower that coffin in the soil.'
At this Miss Burch pushed the plate away from in front of her to sit with closed eyes. He paused. Then as he handed a portion to Edith he went on, 'I don't reckon on that as the last I shall see of the man. It's nothing but superstition all that part.'
'And the wicked shall flourish even as a green bay tree,' Miss Burch announced in a loud voice as though something had her by the throat. Once more there was a pause. Then Raunce began again as he served Paddy. Because he had taken a roast potato into his mouth with the carving fork he spoke uneasy.
'Why will Mrs Welch have it that she must carve for the kitchen? Don't call her cook she don't like the name. There's not much I can do the way this joint's been started.'
The girls were busy with their food. O'Conor was noisy with the portion before him. Raunce settled down to his plate. Agatha still sat back.
'And how many months would it be since you went out?' she asked like vinegar.
'Let me think now. The last occasion must have been when I had to see Paddy here to the Park Gates that time he was "dronk" at Christmas.'
This man grinned although his mouth was watering in volume so that he had to swallow constantly.
'Careful now,' said Raunce.
Kate and Edith stopped eating to watch the Irishman open eyed. This man was their sport and to one of them he was even more than that. In spite of Miss Burch he looked so ludicrous that they had suddenly to choke back tremors of giggling.
'It was nearly my lot,' Raunce added.
'It couldn't hurt no one to show respect to the dead,' Miss Burch tremulously said. Charley answered in downright tones, 'Begging your pardon Miss Burch my feelings are my own and I daresay there's no one here but yourself misses him more than me. Only this morning I went to Mrs T., asked leave and told her,' but he did not at once continue. The silence in which he was received seemed to daunt him. With a clumsy manner he turned it off, saying, 'Yes, I remember when I came for my first interview she said I can't call you Charles, no she says "I'll call you Arthur. All the first footmen have been called Arthur ever since Arthur Weavell, a real jewel that man was," she said.'
He looked at Miss Burch to find that she had flushed.
'And now I make no doubt you are counting on her addressing you as Raunce,' Miss Burch said in real anger. 'With Mr Eldon not yet in the ground. But I'll tell you one thing,' she continued, her voice rising, 'you'll never get a Mr out of me not ever, even if there is a war on.'
'What's the war got to do with it?' he asked, and he winked at Kate. 'Never mind let it go. Anyway I know now don't I.'
'No,' she said, having the last word, 'men like you never will appreciate or realize.'
Next morning Raunce chose to enter Mrs Jack's bedroom when Agatha Burch was at work on the Aubusson carpet.
He carried a large tray on which he had arranged three stacks of fresh blotting paper coloured pink, white and yellow, two saucers of Worcester china in which were knibs of bronze and gold plated, two bottles of red and blue ink with clean syringes to fill the inkwells, and piles of new stationery which matched those three shades of blotting paper.
He laid this down on a writing table. When he saw her face which was as it sometimes looked on her bad days so called, pale or blotchy as a shrimp before boiling, he cleared his throat. He watched her close but she did not regard him. He cleared his throat again. He spoke.
'Just the very person,' he said warmly.
'Oh yes,' was her answer.
'I had a bit of a shock this morning,' he went on, looking out of the window onto a glorious day, 'I moved down into the butler's apartment yesterday as will be known to you because one of your girls got the room ready.'
'I don't know how you had the heart,' she said.
'That's all right Miss Burch, everyone has their feelings, but I'm sure Mrs T. would not wish the strongroom left unguarded of a night time.'
'I hope everything was to your fancy,' she remarked.
'I slept very well thank you, mustn't grumble at all. Sheets nicely aired, a good night's sleep considerin'. But I had a bit of a shock when my tea was fetched me.'
'Tea! I never knew you took it first thing.'
'Oh yes I must have me cup of tea, and I'm not alone in that I believe. I couldn't start the day without.'
'And was it all right?' she asked, so cheerfully she might have thought she had the advantage of him. 'Had it been made with boiling water?'
'Yes,' he said weak, 'it was a good cup of tea.'
'Then they'll have warmed the pot. I'm
glad, I am really. Because I'll tell you something,' and her voice rose. 'D'you know I can't get one for meself at that hour?'
'You can't? Is that so? There's a lot wrong there if you'll pardon me with all the girls you've got to serve you. I should say that wants to be looked into.'
'They've got their work to do same as I have,' she said in a voice charged with meaning.
'Yes I had a bit of a shock first thing,' he went on, ignoring this. 'It was nasty to tell the truth. That lad of mine Albert brought my tea.'
'You don't say. Why I didn't know he was up so prompt.'
'I'll guarantee you this,' Raunce said, his voice beginning to grate a trifle, 'he's up before anyone in the Castle.'
'I won't argue,' she announced.
'No but if you know any different you'll oblige by contradicting.'
'I never argue, I'm not that way,' she said.
'Nor me,' he answered, 'I never was one to contradict this or that. No, all I had in mind was the lad. It's his first place and he's a good obliging boy.'
'I'm not saying he's not.'
'Then you don't deny it,' Raunce said on a rising tone.
'Deny what?' she replied. 'I'm denying nobody.'
'That's O. K. Miss Burch. It was only to make certain I understood like any man has a right. I may have misinterpreted. For if you must know it upset me to see that lad of mine Albert carry me my tea.'
'That was what he always used to do surely.'
'Yes, in Mr Eldon's day that's the way it used to be every morning,' Raunce admitted. Then he went on, 'But one of the girls always brought the old man's.'
'And now I suppose you won't be satisfied unless one of my girls brings you yours,' Miss Burch said with surprising bitterness. 'And I don't doubt she must be Kate,' she added.
'I can't seem to follow you,' he said.
'You can't? I'll ask you this then. How's the work to get done of a morning?'
'Well same as it always has I presume.'
'Now then,' she said taking up this last remark. She drew a great breath and was about to loose it probably in a storm of angry sentences when Mrs T. entered.
The passage carpet was so thick you never could hear anyone coming.
'Oh Raunce,' she said using his new title for the second time, 'I've just come from nanny. Such a nuisance. I don't really know what we can do. Of course the children must come first but I'm sure everyone is doing their best. We shall simply all have to put our heads together.' At this point Miss Burch left. Her back was stiff. She seemed indignant. Mrs T. watched her go with no change in expression. Then turned back to Charley. 'Raunce,' she said, 'surely you aren't proposing to put that pink blotting paper in the Gold Bedroom.'
'This is the only shade they could send us Madam.'
She walked away and tried the mantelpiece with her finger which she then examined as though it was going to smell. He cleared his throat. Having established there was no dust she rearranged the peacock's feathers that for years had stood in a famille rose vase which was as always on a woollen scarlet mat in the centre.
'You write to London for the blotting paper of course?'
'Yes Madam but this is all Mr Eldon could get. I believe he was going to speak about it.'
'No, he never did,' she said, 'and naturally it would be hopeless trying to buy anything in this wretched country. But tell me why if there are several pastel blues can they do only one shade of pink?'
'I believe it's the war Madam.'
She laughed and faced him. 'Oh yes the shops will be using that as an excuse for everything soon. Mind I'm not blaming anyone,' she said, 'but it's going to be hopeless. Now Raunce I'm so very worried about these nursery meals.'
'Yes Madam.'
She began to smile, as though pleading with him. 'I want your help. Everyone is being so very awkward. Nanny has complained that the food is quite cold by the time it gets to the nursery and Mrs Welch tells me it leaves the kitchen piping hot so what am I to believe?'
They looked long at each other. At last he smiled.
'I'm sure Albert carries the meals up soon as ever they are served,' he said. 'But if it would be of any assistance Madam I'll take them up myself for the next few days.'
'Oh thank you Raunce, yes that is good of you. Now I promised Michael I would go along, why was it he wanted me? Yes well that will be all.' She started off to the head gardener. She did not get far. Miss Burch stopped her in the Long Passage.
'Could I speak to you for a moment Madam?'
'Yes Agatha?'
Before going on Miss Burch waited until Raunce, who was leaving Mrs Jack's room, should be out of earshot.
'It's Kate Madam. I wouldn't bother you Madam only it does seem not right to me that a slip of a girl can take him his tea first thing while he lies in bed there.'
'Whose tea good heavens?'
'Arthur Madam.'
'We must call him Raunce now Agatha. It does sound absurd I know. What's more I don't like that name.' Her voice had taken a teasing note. 'I think we shall have to change it don't you?'
'And he would not go to the funeral. He even boasts about it Madam.'
'Well we wouldn't have wanted him there would we?' she said. Miss Burch seemed pleased. 'And now he's moved down to Eldon's room and wants his morning tea brought him?' Mrs Tennant went on. 'Yes well thanks very much for telling me. I suppose one of the girls used to carry Eldon his cup first thing?'
'Yes Madam but that was different.'
'I know Agatha but I fancy that's the difficulty you see.'
'Very good Madam,' Miss Burch said grim.
'Oh yes and I forgot, where is the man,' and she called for Raunce. There was no reply. 'He must have gone.' She rang the bell. 'I meant to tell you both,' she continued, 'it's about Mrs Welch. Her nephew is coming over to-morrow. Not for long mind, just a few weeks. He's old enough to look after himself. She'll do everything for the little chap.'
Miss Burch did not look delighted but she said, 'Yes Madam.'
'He's a dear boy I believe and it will be nice for the children to have someone to play with. His name is Albert. Why what a coincidence. Yes Albert what is it?'
'You rang, Madam.'
'Oh it's of no consequence it was Raunce I wanted. That's all thank you. There's nothing else I think. I will see Raunce some other time. I've simply got to rush out now to Michael.'
The morning was almost over and that afternoon, as Raunce was in his new armchair putting his feet up to study those two notebooks Edith, upstairs in the attic she shared with Kate and half undressed, was filling into a jam jar those eggs she had been carrying in Mrs Tennant's glove and which she intended to preserve with waterglass.
'You're surely not ever goin' to put that dirtiness on your face and neck sometime Edie?'
'I am that. It's good.'
'But not peacocks. Edie for land's sake.'
'Peacocks is no use. They only screech.'
'I can't make you out at all.'
Edith explained. 'Their eggs've got to be lifted when there's not a soul to witness, you understand, an' they must be peacocks. I wouldn't know for why. But you just ask anyone. They are the valuables! birds, the rarest.'
'And what if you come out in the spots like they have stuck on their tails?'
Edie turned at this to face Kate and put a hand along her cheek. She was naked to the waist. In that light from the window overgrown with ivy her detached skin shone like the flower of white lilac under leaves.
'Oh dear,' she said.
'And who's it for?' Kate went on. 'Patrick?' and in one movement she jumped on her bed, lay back. But at the mention of a name and as though they had entered on a conspiracy Edith blocked even more light from that window by climbing on the sill. The sky drew a line of white round her mass of dark hair falling to shoulders which paled to blue lilac. She laughed in her throat.
As they settled down Kate said: 'So Mrs Welch is to have her sister's little boy to visit. Albert his name is.' Edith made no reply. 'That'll
be more for us that will,' Kate added.
'He'll do his own work. He's old enough,' Edith said. 'And it'll be a change for the children,' she went on referring to Mrs Jack's girls. 'They don't get much out of forever playing on their own the sweet lambs.'
'I wish I was back 'ome the age they are Edie.'
'Hard work never done a girl any harm.'
'But doesn't Miss Burch keep us two girls at it dear. Oh my poor feet.'
'Take your stockings off Katie and I'll rub 'em for you.'
'Not in that old egg you won't.'
Edith jumped down off the sill. She took up a towel which she laid under Kate's feet. She turned back to the washbasin to wet her hands in cold water. Then leaning over Kate who had closed her eyes she began to stroke and knead the hot feet. Her hair fell forward. She was smiling as she ministered, all her bare skin above Kate's body stretched white as spring again.
'Clean your teeth before you have to do with a woman,' Edith said, 'what talk is that?'
'Have you gone out of your mind then?' Kate asked, murmuring. 'But whoever said?'
'Mr Raunce.'
'So it's Mr to you? I shan't ever. I couldn't, not after he's been Charley all this time. Oh honey is that easing my arches.'
'It's only right now he's got the position,' Edith said. 'I wish I had your ankles dear I do.'
'But why the teeth?' Kate asked.
'I expect it's smoking or something.'
'Does Patrick?'
'Oh he's got a lovely lot,' Edith said. 'But I can't say as I shall see him even this evening. Talk of half days off in this rotten old country, why, there's nothing for a girl when your time is your own.'
'You're telling me,' said Kate.
Then Edith sat down on the side of the bed, and shook the hair back from off her face.
'Here we are,' she went on, 'the two of us on a Thursday and still inside, with nothing to move for. And the Germans across the water, that might invade any minute. Oh I shall have to journey back home. Why I'm browned off absolutely.'
Kate took her up. 'I don't think there's much in this talk about the Jerries. And if they did come over that's not saying they'd offer any impoliteness, they're ordinary working folk same as us. But speak of never going out why Charley Raunce hasn't shoved his head into the air these three years it must be.'