She would. I could have told you that.’
‘And we’ve been going to the pictures about twice a week ever since.’
‘So that’s why you’ve taken to going out so often?’
‘That’s right. But, look, I don’t want to force her on you, if you don’t want her to come to tea I’ll say you’ve got a headache and take her out.’
‘Your mum will have her to tea all right,’ said Mr Sunbury. Won’t you, dear? It’s only that your mum can’t abide strangers. She never has liked them.’
‘I keep myself to myself,’ said Mrs Sunbury gloomily. ‘What does she do?’ She works in a typewriting office in the City and she lives at home, if you call it home; you see, her mum died and her dad married again, and they’ve got three kids and she doesn’t get on with her step-ma. Nag, nag, nag all the time, she says.’
Mrs Sunbury arranged the tea very stylishly. She took the knick-knacks off the little table in the sitting room, which they never used, and put a tea-cloth on it. She got out the tea-service and the plated tea-kettle which they never used either, and she made scones, baked a cake, and cut thin bread-and-butter. ‘I want her to see that we’re not just nobody,’ she told her Samuel.
Herbert went to fetch Miss Bevan, and Mr Sunbury intercepted them at the door in case Herbert should take her into the dining-room where normally they ate and sat. Herbert gave the tea-table a glance of surprise as he ushered the young woman into the sitting-room.
‘This is Betty, Mum,’ he said.
‘Miss Bevan, I presume,’ said Mrs Sunbury.
‘That’s right, but call me Betty, won’t you?’
‘Perhaps the acquaintance is a bit short for that,’ said Mrs Sunbury with a gracious smile. ‘Won’t you sit down, Miss Bevan?’
Strangely enough, or perhaps not strangely at all, Betty Bevan looked very much as Mrs Sunbury must have looked at her age. She had the same sharp features and the same rather small beady eyes, but her lips were scarlet with paint, her cheeks lightly rouged, and her short black hair permanently waved. Mrs Sunbury took in all this at a glance, and she reckoned to a penny how much her smart rayon dress had cost, her extravagantly high-heeled shoes, and the saucy hat on her head. Her frock was very short and she showed a good deal of flesh-coloured stocking. Mrs Sunbury, disapproving of her make-up and of her apparel, took an instant dislike to her, but she had made up her mind to behave like a lady, and if she didn’t know how to behave like a lady nobody did, so that at first things went well. She poured out tea and asked Herbert to give a cup to his lady friend.
‘Ask Miss Bevan if she’ll have some bread-and-butter or a scone, Samuel, my dear.’
‘Have both,’ said Samuel, handing round the two plates, in his coarse way. ‘I like to see people eat hearty.’
Betty insecurely perched a piece of bread-and-butter and a scone on her saucer and Mrs Sunbury talked affably about the weather. She had the satisfaction of seeing that Betty was getting more and more ill-at-ease. Then she cut the cake and pressed a large piece on her guest. Betty took a bite at it and when she put it in her saucer it fell to the ground.
‘Oh, I am sorry,’ said the girl, as she picked it up.
‘It doesn’t matter at all, I’ll cut you another piece,’ said Mrs Sunbury. ‘Oh, don’t bother, I’m not particular. The floor’s clean.’
‘I hope so,’ said Mrs Sunbury with an acid smile, ‘but I wouldn’t dream of letting you eat a piece of cake that’s been on the floor. Bring it here, Herbert, and I’ll give Miss Bevan some more.’
‘I don’t want any more, Mrs Sunbury, I don’t really.’
‘I’m sorry you don’t like my cake. I made it specially for you.’ She took a bit. ‘It tastes all right to me.’
‘It’s not that, Mrs Sunbury, it’s a beautiful cake, it’s only that I’m not hungry.’ She refused to have more tea and Mrs Sunbury saw she was glad to get rid of the cup. ‘I expect they have their meals in the kitchen,’ she said to herself Then Herbert lit a cigarette.
‘Give us a fag, Herb,’ said Betty. ‘I’m simply dying for a smoke.’
Mrs Sunbury didn’t approve of women smoking, but she only raised her eyebrows slightly.
‘We prefer to call him Herbert, Miss Bevan,’ she said.
Betty wasn’t such a fool as not to see that Mrs Sunbury had been doing all she could to make her uncomfortable, and now she saw a chance to get back on her.
‘I know,’ she said. ‘When he told me his name was Herbert I nearly burst out laughing. Fancy calling anyone Herbert. A scream, I call it.’
‘I’m sorry you don’t like the name my son was given at his baptism. I think it’s a very nice name. But I suppose it all depends on what sort of class of people one is.’
Herbert stepped in to the rescue.
‘At the office they call me Bertie, Mum.’
‘Then all I can say is, they’re a lot of very common men.’
Mrs Sunbury lapsed into a dignified silence and the conversation, such as it was, was maintained by Mr Sunbury and Herbert. It was not without satisfaction that Mrs Sunbury perceived that Betty was offended. She also perceived that the girl wanted to go, but didn’t quite know how to manage it. She was determined not to help her. Finally Herbert took the matter into his own hands.
Well, Betty, I think it’s about time we were getting along,’ he said. ‘I’ll walk back with you.’
‘Must you go already?’ said Mrs Sunbury, rising to her feet. ‘It’s been a pleasure, I’m sure.’
‘Pretty little thing,’ said Mr Sunbury tentatively after the young things had left. ‘Pretty my foot. All that paint and powder. You take my word for it, she’d look very different with her face washed and without a perm. Common, that’s what she is, common as dirt.’
An hour later Herbert came back. He was angry.
‘Look here, Mum, what d’you mean by treating the poor girl like that? I was simply ashamed of you.’
‘Don’t talk to your mother like that, Herbert,’ she flared up. ‘You didn’t ought to have brought a woman like that into my house. Common, she is, common as dirt.’
When Mrs Sunbury got angry not only did her grammar grow shaky, but she wasn’t quite safe on her aitches. Herbert took no notice of what she said.
‘She said she’d never been so insulted in her life. I had a rare job pacifying her.’
‘Well, she’s never coming here again, I tell you that straight.’
‘That’s what you think. I’m engaged to her, so put that in your pipe and smoke it.’
Mrs Sunbury gasped. ‘You’re not?’
‘Yes, I am. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, and then she was so upset tonight I felt sorry for her, so I popped the question and I had a rare job persuading her, I can tell you.’
‘You fool,’ screamed Mrs Sunbury. ‘You fool.’
There was quite a scene then. Mrs Sunbury and her son went at it hammer and tongs, and when poor Samuel tried to intervene they both told him roughly to shut up. At last Herbert flung out of the room and out of the house and Mrs Sunbury burst into angry tears.
No reference was made next day to what had passed. Mrs Sunbury was frigidly polite to Herbert and he was sullen and silent. After supper he went out. On Saturday he told his father and mother that he was engaged that afternoon and wouldn’t be able to come to the common with them.
‘I dare say we shall be able to do without you,’ said Mrs Sunbury grimly.
It was getting on to the time for their usual fortnight at the seaside. They always went to Heme Bay, because Mrs Sunbury said you had a nice class of people there, and for years they had taken the same lodgings. One evening, in as casual a way as he could, Herbert said:
‘By the way, Mum, you’d better write and tell them I shan’t be wanting my room this year. Betty and me are getting married and we’re going to Southend for the honeymoon.’
For a moment there was dead silence in the room.
‘Bit sudden-like, isn’t it, Herbert?’ sa
id Mr Sunbury uneasily.
‘Well, they’re cutting down at Betty’s office and she’s out of a job, so we thought we’d better get married at once. We’ve taken two rooms in Dabney Street and we’re furnishing out of my Savings Bank money.’
Mrs Sunbury didn’t say a word. She went deathly pale and tears rolled down her thin cheeks.
‘Oh, come on, Mum, don’t take it so hard,’ said Herbert. ‘A fellow has to marry sometime. If Dad hadn’t married you, I shouldn’t be here now, should I?’
Mrs Sunbury brushed her tears away with an impatient hand.
Tour dad didn’t marry me; I married ’im. I knew he was steady and respectable. I knew he’d make a good ‘usband and father. I’ve never ’ad cause to regret it and no more ’as your dad. That’s right, Samuel, isn’t it?’
Right as rain, Beatrice,’ he said quickly.
‘You know, you’ll like Betty when you get to know her. She’s a nice girl, she is really. I believe you’d find you had a lot in common. You must give her a chance, Mum.’
‘She’s never going to set foot in this house only over my dead body.’
‘That’s absurd, Mum. Why, everything’11 be just the same if you’ll only be reasonable. I mean, we can go flying on Saturday afternoons same as we always did. Just this time I’ve been engaged it’s been difficult. You see, she can’t see what there is in kite-flying, but she’ll come round to it, and after I’m married it’ll be different, I mean I can come and fly with you and Dad; that stands to reason.’
‘That’s what you think. Well, let me tell you that if you marry that woman you’re not going to fly my kite. I never gave it you, I bought it out of the housekeeping money, and it’s mine, see.’
‘All right then, have it your own way. Betty says it’s a kid’s game anyway and I ought to be ashamed of myself, flying a kite at my age.’
He got up and once more stalked angrily out of the house. A fortnight later he was married. Mrs Sunbury refused to go to the wedding and wouldn’t let Samuel go either. They went for their holiday and came back. They resumed their usual round. On Saturday afternoons they went to the common by themselves and flew their enormous kite. Mrs Sunbury never mentioned her son. She was determined not to forgive him. But Mr Sunbury used to meet him on the morning train they both took and they chatted a little when they managed to get into the same carriage. One morning Mr Sunbury looked up at the sky.
‘Good flying weather today,’ he said. D’you and Mum still fly?’
‘What do you think? She’s getting as clever as I am. You should see her with her skirts pinned up running down the hill. I give you my word, I never knew she had it in her. Run? Why, she can run better than what I can.’
‘Don’t make me laugh, Dad!’
‘I wonder you don’t buy a kite of your own, Herbert. You’ve been always so keen on it.’
‘I know I was. I did suggest it once, but you know what women are, Betty said: “Be your age,” and oh, I don’t know what all. I don’t want a kid’s kite, of course, and them big kites cost money. When we started to furnish Betty said it was cheaper in the long run to buy the best and so we went to one of them hire purchase places and what with paying them every month and the rent, well, I haven’t got any more money than just what we can manage on. They say it doesn’t cost any more to keep two than one, well, that’s not my experience so far.’
‘Isn’t she working?’
‘Well, no, she says after working for donkeys’ years as you might say, now she’s married she’s going to take it easy, and of course someone’s got to keep the place clean and do the cooking.’
So it went on for six months, and then one Saturday afternoon when the Sunburys were as usual on the common Mrs Sunbury said to her husband: Did you see what I saw, Samuel?’
‘I saw Herbert, if that’s what you mean. I didn’t mention it because I thought it would only upset you.’
‘Don’t speak to him. Pretend you haven’t seen him.’
Herbert was standing among the idle lookers-on. He made no attempt to speak to his parents, but it did not escape Mrs Sunbury that he followed with all his eyes the flight of the big kite he had flown so often. It began to grow chilly and the Sunburys went home. Mrs Sunbury’s face was brisk with malice. ‘I wonder if he’ll come next Saturday,’ said Samuel.
‘If I didn’t think betting was wrong I’d bet you sixpence he will, Samuel. I’ve been waiting for this all along.’
‘You have?’
‘I knew from the beginning he wouldn’t be able to keep away from it.’
She was right. On the following Saturday and on every Saturday after that when the weather was fine Herbert turned up on the common. No intercourse passed. He just stood there for a while looking on and then strolled away. But after things had been going on like this for several weeks, the Sunburys had a surprise for him. They weren’t flying the big kite which he was used to, but a new one, a box-kite, a small one, on the model for which he had made the designs himself He saw it was creating a lot of interest among the other kite-flyers; they were standing round it and Mrs Sunbury was talking volubly. The first time Samuel ran down the hill with it the thing didn’t rise, but flopped miserably on the ground, and Herbert clenched his hands and ground his teeth. He couldn’t bear to see it fail. Mr Sunbury climbed up the little hill again, and the second time the box-kite took the air. There was a cheer among the bystanders. After a while Mr Sunbury pulled it down and walked back with it to the hill. Mrs Sunbury went up to her son.
‘Like to have a try, Herbert?’
He caught his breath.
‘Yes, Mum, I should.’
‘It’s just a small one because they say you have to get the knack of it. It’s not like the old-fashioned sort. But we’ve got specifications for a big one, and they say when you get to know about it and the wind’s right you can go up to two miles with it.’
Mr Sunbury joined them.
‘Samuel, Herbert wants to try the kite.’
Mr Sunbury handed it to him, a pleased smile on his face, and Herbert gave his mother his hat to hold. Then he raced down the hill, the kite took the air beautifully, and as he watched it rise his heart was filled with exultation. It was grand to see that little black thing soaring so sweetly, but even as he watched it he thought of the great big one they were having made. They’d never be able to manage that. Two miles in the air, mum had said. Whew!
‘Why don’t you come back and have a cup of tea, Herbert,’ said Mrs Sunbury, ‘and we’ll show you the designs for the new one they want to build for us. Perhaps you could make some suggestions.’
He hesitated. He’d told Betty he was just going for a walk to stretch his legs, she didn’t know he’d been coming to the common every week, and she’d be waiting for him. But the temptation was irresistible.
‘I don’t mind if I do,’ he said.
After tea they looked at the specifications. The kite was huge, with gadgets he had never seen before, and it would cost a lot of money.
‘You’ll never be able to fly it by yourselves,’ he said.
‘We can try.’
‘I suppose you wouldn’t like me to help you just at first?’ he asked uncertainly.
‘Mightn’t be a bad idea,’ said Mrs Sunbury.
It was late when he got home, much later than he thought, and Betty was vexed.
‘Wherever have you been, Herb? I thought you were dead. Supper’s waiting and everything.’
‘I met some fellows and got talking.’
She gave him a sharp look, but didn’t answer. She sulked.
After supper he suggested they should go to a movie, but she refused. ‘You go if you want to,’ she said. ‘I don’t care to.’
On the following Saturday he went again to the common and again his mother let him fly the kite. They had ordered the new one and expected to get it in three weeks. Present his mother said to him:
‘Elizabeth is here.’
‘Betty?’
‘Spying
on you.’
It gave him a nasty turn, but he put on a bold front.
let her spy. I don’t care.’
But he was nervous and wouldn’t go back to tea with his parents. He went straight home. Betty was waiting for him.
‘So that’s the fellows you got talking to. I’ve been suspicious for some time, you going for a walk on Saturday afternoon, and all of a sudden I tumbled to it. Flying a kite, you, a grown man. Contemptible I call it.’
‘I don’t care what you call it. I like it, and if you don’t like it you can lump it.’
‘I won’t have it and I tell you that straight. I’m not going to have you make a fool of yourself.’
‘I’ve flown a kite every Saturday afternoon ever since I was a kid, and I’m going to fly a kite as long as ever I want to.’
‘It’s that old bitch, she’s just trying to get you away from me. I know her. If you were a man you’d never speak to her again, not after the way she’s treated me.’
‘I won’t have you call her that. She’s my mother and I’ve got the right to see her as often as ever I want to.’
The quarrel went on hour after hour. Betty screamed at him and Herbert shouted at her. They had had trifling disagreements before, because they were both obstinate, but this was the first serious row they had had. They didn’t speak to one another on the Sunday, and during the rest of the week, though outwardly there was peace between them, their ill-feeling rankled. It happened that the next two Saturdays it poured with rain. Betty smiled to herself when she saw the downpour, but if Herbert was disappointed he gave no sign of it. The recollection of their quarrel grew dim. Living in two rooms as they did, sleeping in the same bed, it was inevitable that they should agree to forget their differences. Betty went out of her way to be nice to her Herb, and she thought that now she had given him a taste of her tongue and he knew she wasn’t going to be put upon by anyone, he’d be reasonable. He was a good husband in his way, generous with his money and steady. Give her time and she’d manage him all right.
But after a fortnight of bad weather it cleared.
65 Short Stories Page 132