Loving - Henry Green [42]
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 lie 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, not 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.' S 'Well then what is it you take exception to?' i '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 r wicks being made no more for the duration. If I didn't tell Mrs T. i i they were required I couldn't