Loving - Henry Green [25]
we've done what we can. Enough's enough,' she said and they set about leaving this end of the great room as they had found it. And then made their way back to the part that was inhabited, their day's work done. It may have been a few days later that Miss Burch came in late for her elevenses. She looked worried. As she sat down she said, 'She's mislaid her big sapphire cluster.' There was no need to ask whose ring that was. Ever since the French maid went back to her own country Miss Burch had been in charge of Mrs Tennant's things. But Mrs T. was always finding what she had just lost, while she seldom bothered to announce that whatever it might be was no longer missing. Charley seriously said, and at the same time imitated Mrs Welch's nephew, 'Maybe she put'm down and forgot to pick'm up.' Except for Miss Burch they none of them bothered. It could be assumed if she did not in good time come across the ring that she would get another of equal value out of the Company and better because it was fresh. 'Which reminds me,' Charley asked his lad, 'did you remember to take her back that glove? Now don't give me the old answer, don't say which glove?' 'It's in the pantry Mr Raunce,' Albert said. �What is?' 'The gardening glove.' 'You'll excuse me it's not. I ought to know seeing that's my own pantry. Where is it then?' 'I put 'er glove in the cupboard,' Albert said, 'on the bottom shelf. I seen it only this morning.' 'Oh well if you've hidden the thing,' Raunce replied and they fell back on silence. Edith looked up to find Kate watching her. She blushed. 'Land's sakes there she goes colouring again,' Raunce announced hearty. 'She should go and give one of them blood transfusions they are asking volunteers for, she's got too much,' he commented out of one side of his mouth to Miss Burch next him. 'Don't be disgusting,' was all this woman said. But he had obviously recollected. Eggs must have made him think of waterglass. 'Wait a minute,' he cried. Kate watched. 'I've just remembered summat,' he went on. He paused, and his eyes were on Edith while her blushes flooded once more. 'I do believe I done you a real injustice,' he said to Albert perhaps. But he did not seem able to take his eyes off the girl while she looked at him melting as though at his mercy. 'We shall have to make them open up the drains for us that's all,' Miss Burch stated, still on about the ring. 'Oh forget it,' Charley said to Edith, probably meaning this remark for Albert. He lowered his eyes and an odd sort of bewilderment showed in his face. But Miss Burch must. have understood that he was answering her for she objected, 'I can't forget,' and she spoke resigned. 'I'm sure I've looked every place and it was a beautiful ring, an antique,' she added. At this moment Mrs Welch had an idea away in the kitchen. Leaving her black notebook she shuffled swift into the scullery where little Albert was at table over a cup of cocoa while the two girls prepared vegetables in one of six sinks. 'There's none of you girls go talking to the tradesmen?' she asked in a menacing voice and gave no warning. 'Oh no m'm.' 'There's not one of you so much as passes the time of day with that butcher?' 'No m'm truly.' 'Because remember what I said. Don't have nothing to do with them Irish or you'll likely bring our own blood on us. By reason of the I. R. A. And never forget.' 'Yes m'm.' 'And where do they carry the victuals when they call?' Mrs Welch went on to ask. 'They leave 'em in the outside larder like you said.' 'Now when d'you fetch what they've left?' 'When they're gone,' the girls answered. That's right. Also I'll take up with those merchants what they've delivered short, what they owe me, on the blower, understand. Nor you 'aven't spoken with one of them?' 'No m'm.' 'And 'ow d'you know when they've been?' 'They ring the little bell as they're leavin'.' That's right. Then it can't be one of the tradesmen after all,' she said going back into the kitchen and there cried out loud to herself, 'Oh my waterglass.' What she had lost still seemed uppermost on Mrs Welch's mind when after