Loving - Henry Green [91]
soft. 'Yet for eighteen months I didn't so much as notice them. Can you explain that?' Then, perhaps to distract her attention, he invited her to witness what he saw, the peacocks that had been attracted. For these most greedy of all birds had collected in twos about and behind the lilac trees, on the scrounge for tit-bits. 'Oh those,' she answered. 'It's wicked the way they spy on you.' 'They've been raised in a good school,' he remarked. 'There,' she said giving her face a last dab. She did not look at him. 'I'm sorry I did that. Well then Charley what's next?' 'You mustn't blame this on my old lady ducks,' he replied. 'She gets pig'eaded at times the way all old people do. But that's not to say she hasn't wounded me because she has and where a man feels it most, right in my pride in myself,' he explained. 'She knows I'm barely an age for this war, yet awhiles anyhow, yet she seems to think I'm not in it all I might be, d'you get me?' Edith stayed silent. 'Oh this pain,' he suddenly groaned. 'It will nag a man.' 'I got some bicarbonate indoors will soon see to that,' she said. 'I was wonderin' if you could just nip over and fetch us some,' he suggested green in the face. 'We haven't finished,' she answered grim. There's a lot I want to get straight first.' 'What's that love?' he asked. 'What are we goin' to do then?' Edith continued. She spoke calm. Raunce leant forward. In an effort to pull himself together perhaps, he squinted terribly. 'We got to get out of here,' he said. 'Leave this place?' she asked. 'There's nothing else for it sweetheart,' he replied. 'And go to the Agency in Dublin to find us another Charley?' 'No dear. We've just been in to all that. We'd best clear right out.' 'What and go to America somewhere Charley?' 'Not on your life,' he answered. 'It's back to the old country for you an' me my love.' 'And have me took up as I step from off the ship which brought us across by one of those women police waiting on the dockside to put me in the A. T. S.? 'Ave you gone out of your mind then?' 'Steady on Edie where did you get that from? They don't act in such a fashion, not yet they don't.' 'Out of your very lips and not so long since either. You sat at dinner and frightened my Kate out of her mind almost, so she shouldn't go.' 'Why it was only a tale,' he pleaded. 'How d'you know? You said so Charley.' 'You've got no diplomacy love, that's what's the matter. I didn't want you left with all her work or some dirty Irish judy brought in to help who you'd have to go round after all the time. Sure I pitched 'er a tale. Mind you they'll be forced to it in the end before this war's over, when the casualties start an' they get real short of labour. You mark my words we'll all be in uniform then. But just at present there's nothing of the sort I tell you.' 'And you're certain this ain't just your idea to get rid of me?' she asked tearfully once more. He put an arm round her shoulders. 'Ere,' he said, 'what's up all of a sudden? It's not like you to have nightmares or see shadows followin' you round.' 'I'm that bewildered,' she explained again, settling her cheek against his. 'Now don't you fret,' he comforted. 'You leave all the brain work to your old man. Lucky Charley they call him,' he said in a threadbare return to his usual manner. 'We want to get out of this country and when once we've made up our minds we want to get out fast.' 'Elope?' she cried delighted all of a sudden. 'Elope,' he agreed grave. She gave him a big kiss. 'Why Charley,' she said, seemingly more and more delighted, 'that's romantic.' 'It's what we're going to do whatever the name you give it,' he replied. 'But don't you see that's a wonderful thing to do,' she went on. 'Maybe so,' he said soft into her ear, 'but it's what we're doing.' 'Oh I can love you for this,' she murmured. 'There I've said it now haven't I? You were always on at me to say. But go on.' 'That's all,' he announced. 'Only once I get hold of Michael we'd best get away out to-morrow.' 'Wait a minute,' she cried in a disappointed voice. 'And how about our month's notice?' 'We