engaged in turning it into a scribbling and daubing den for herself.
‘Then the beastes goe into their dennes and remaine in their places.’ She explained how it was spelled as they looked about. ‘Book of Job.’
Archie and Harold sat on a bench, one extracted by Lettice from an abandoned church, and debated on the desirability of dennes.
Archie introduced the sore subject. ‘We are much enjoying our stay at the stables. I hope it isn’t too tiring for Victoria.’
‘Quite honestly it would serve her right if she dropped.’Lettice let a cascade of abuse flood over her hearers. They cajoled and reprehended her in turn. Harold shrank in pain as he noticed shadows of anility cross Lettice’s face.
Archie, appointing himself professor, transformed the scene into a seminar. ‘Perhaps we should go back and examine the situation from the beginning.’
Harold checked him. ‘No, Archie, not now. No. No. Some other time.’
They left The Old Keep, conversation unsuccessfully concluded , without remembering to greet Roland.
‘Should we explore the representation of each?’
‘No. No. I think it would be unwise to give encouragement.’
‘Are you, with your extraordinary insight, trying to point out that they, neither of them, have anything of interest to say?’
‘Not precisely. No. I wouldn’t say that.’
‘Perhaps you are hinting at something of the sort. We have noticed that Lettice and Victoria are both women.’
‘My thoughts were connected with that knowledge.’
‘If we were wise we would go straight back to Cambridge and not communicate again with either of them.’
‘I don’t think that would show wisdom.’
Harold was thinking, in part, of the few possessions he had left in Victoria’s care. He did not want to lose the small book.
‘Of course. You are right. Nonetheless, it is a frightful nuisance – the whole thing.’
‘That didn’t occur to you until you went too far and upset Lettice.’
Chapter 8
V ictoria had been in a state of undefined bliss. Apart from Lettice’s lapse during dinner, Archie and Harold’s visit was perfect. Beyond all hope.
After Roland and Lettice left the evening before and Harold had crept off to bed, Victoria and Archie stayed up talking until Maudie cried soon after five o’clock. Never before had a human creature been capable of removing the burdens of daily existence from her mind.
So, when the two men returned from the outing from which she had extricated herself, she was slow to notice any change in Archie.
It wasn’t possible that her wise, distracting friend of the night before could alter without warning.
When Archie’s peevishness became apparent her suspicion fell on Harold’s scarcely hidden jealousy. Lettice, she was certain , held no power.
‘I hope you haven’t arranged anything for this afternoon,’Archie spat. ‘I, for one, intend to sleep. You kept me up far too late.’
His expression was mean and old-maidish; appearance distorted . The battle between the women was more than he could cope with.
Victoria took refuge in the kitchen. She stood back, hands against the distempered wall, spreading and flattening them, palms downwards, onto the paint behind her. She hoped that rising damp might cool the heat of her body. Then she turned from left to right placing first one hot cheek and then the other against the powdery wall.
Harold ate fast and wandered off before lunch was finished. Archie made no effort to be polite until he saw tears forming in Victoria’s eyes. As they ran over her cheekbones, he handed her his red spotted handkerchief – clean but for a silver fingerprint.
‘Does it enrage you to see a woman cry?’
‘Not in all cases. I would be sympathetic to the sight of a mother, say, crying over the death of her child.’
‘What about a father?’
He decided to charm her before resting. It would not take long. He went to her side. She hadn’t noticed Harold’s silver fingerprint on Archie’s
‘Then the beastes goe into their dennes and remaine in their places.’ She explained how it was spelled as they looked about. ‘Book of Job.’
Archie and Harold sat on a bench, one extracted by Lettice from an abandoned church, and debated on the desirability of dennes.
Archie introduced the sore subject. ‘We are much enjoying our stay at the stables. I hope it isn’t too tiring for Victoria.’
‘Quite honestly it would serve her right if she dropped.’Lettice let a cascade of abuse flood over her hearers. They cajoled and reprehended her in turn. Harold shrank in pain as he noticed shadows of anility cross Lettice’s face.
Archie, appointing himself professor, transformed the scene into a seminar. ‘Perhaps we should go back and examine the situation from the beginning.’
Harold checked him. ‘No, Archie, not now. No. No. Some other time.’
They left The Old Keep, conversation unsuccessfully concluded , without remembering to greet Roland.
‘Should we explore the representation of each?’
‘No. No. I think it would be unwise to give encouragement.’
‘Are you, with your extraordinary insight, trying to point out that they, neither of them, have anything of interest to say?’
‘Not precisely. No. I wouldn’t say that.’
‘Perhaps you are hinting at something of the sort. We have noticed that Lettice and Victoria are both women.’
‘My thoughts were connected with that knowledge.’
‘If we were wise we would go straight back to Cambridge and not communicate again with either of them.’
‘I don’t think that would show wisdom.’
Harold was thinking, in part, of the few possessions he had left in Victoria’s care. He did not want to lose the small book.
‘Of course. You are right. Nonetheless, it is a frightful nuisance – the whole thing.’
‘That didn’t occur to you until you went too far and upset Lettice.’
Chapter 8
V ictoria had been in a state of undefined bliss. Apart from Lettice’s lapse during dinner, Archie and Harold’s visit was perfect. Beyond all hope.
After Roland and Lettice left the evening before and Harold had crept off to bed, Victoria and Archie stayed up talking until Maudie cried soon after five o’clock. Never before had a human creature been capable of removing the burdens of daily existence from her mind.
So, when the two men returned from the outing from which she had extricated herself, she was slow to notice any change in Archie.
It wasn’t possible that her wise, distracting friend of the night before could alter without warning.
When Archie’s peevishness became apparent her suspicion fell on Harold’s scarcely hidden jealousy. Lettice, she was certain , held no power.
‘I hope you haven’t arranged anything for this afternoon,’Archie spat. ‘I, for one, intend to sleep. You kept me up far too late.’
His expression was mean and old-maidish; appearance distorted . The battle between the women was more than he could cope with.
Victoria took refuge in the kitchen. She stood back, hands against the distempered wall, spreading and flattening them, palms downwards, onto the paint behind her. She hoped that rising damp might cool the heat of her body. Then she turned from left to right placing first one hot cheek and then the other against the powdery wall.
Harold ate fast and wandered off before lunch was finished. Archie made no effort to be polite until he saw tears forming in Victoria’s eyes. As they ran over her cheekbones, he handed her his red spotted handkerchief – clean but for a silver fingerprint.
‘Does it enrage you to see a woman cry?’
‘Not in all cases. I would be sympathetic to the sight of a mother, say, crying over the death of her child.’
‘What about a father?’
He decided to charm her before resting. It would not take long. He went to her side. She hadn’t noticed Harold’s silver fingerprint on Archie’s
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