Loving - Henry Green [4]
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