on that bedroom.
'But then who was it dear?' Kate asked at last.
'Oh I never saw his face only the top of his head like I told you where he was going thin. It was the Captain make no mistake.'
They giggled a bit more at this then Kate wanted to know if she had not asked old Aggie Burch.
'Hush Kate she'll hear,' Edith said, 'but if you'd seen her face you could never've questioned her.'
'Look I'll just sluice some cold water over me and then I'll get down to the 'all,' Kate answered. 'I wouldn't miss the look she'll be wearin' for nothing in the world, not for a 'ug from an old ugly bastard of a tinker even,' she said.
'An old ugly what? Why Kate Armstrong whatever are you saying?'
'Forget it dearie. There,' she said throwing her towel down, 'I'm off.' And Edith had to rush so as not to be left out below. But where Kate made straight to the servants' hall Edith struck right-handed for the pantry. She was in luck, Raunce was there yet. The moment she saw him she seemed overjoyed. With for her an altogether extraordinary animation she fairly danced up. He stood as though embarrassed, fumbling his nose, squinting.
'Why Charley,' she laughed, 'what d'you know?'
'Yes,' he said solemn.
'Well then isn't this a knock out?' she asked. 'An' it happened to me,' she added. 'After all these years.'
'Now steady on lass there's my lad Bert to consider.'
'Bert?' she asked. 'Why 'e's getting our breakfast or should be at this hour. Why what about him?'
'That lad ain't of an age yet,' Mr Raunce replied but he spoke as though in apology. She quietened down, stopped rocking backwards and forwards and ceased almost pushing her flushed face into his.
'Well aren't you glad?' she went on after a minute, 'for me I mean,' she mocked.
'I can't make you out at all,' he answered.
'Why there's all those stories you've had, openin' this door and seeing that when you were in a place in Dorset and lookin' through the bathroom window down in Wales an' suchlike oh I've heard you or Kate has and now it's come to me. Right a'bed they was next to one another. Stuff that in your old smelly pipe and smoke it.' She began once more to force her body on his notice, getting right up to him then away again, as though pretending to dance. Then she turned herself completely round in front of his very eyes. He seemed ill at ease.
'But how would you know it was me?' she asked suddenly stopping.
'Miss Burch,' he replied. 'It come as a big surprise. I didn't guess she'd have the sense of right and wrong to acquaint me. But I shouldn't pay attention to this mess up if I was you.'
'What d'you mean pay no attention?' she asked and she spoke angry.
'What they see fit to do is no concern of our own,' he said still watching her as if ashamed and surprisingly he yawned.
'You mean you're going to make nothing of it just because I
found 'em? The Captain in Mrs Jack's bed?' She blushed, with anger perhaps. 'You're going to try and take that from me?'
'Take it from you how's that?' he asked.
'Take it away from me,' she repeated and her eyes filled beautifully with tears.
'Honey,' he said calling her this for the first time, 'you don't want to go and talk, see, or you'll likely lose your place?'
'Lose my place?' she echoed, 'I should worry in this lousy hole.'
'Without a reference,' he added, 'you mark what I say.'
'I should worry,' she repeated and for the moment looked as if she might burst out crying. He put on a grin. He looked appealing and upset.
'What they do is no concern of us,' he said again. 'And there's the National bloody Service Officer waitin' for you over on the other side.'
'Don't you swear at me of all people,' she answered. Turning on her heel she actually ran out in the direction of the servants' hall.
Breakfast that morning took place at first in utter silence. Even Kate looked down her nose. Raunce fidgeted and often glanced quickly at Edith who was hurried in everything she did. But as for Miss Burch she could not eat anything at all
'But then who was it dear?' Kate asked at last.
'Oh I never saw his face only the top of his head like I told you where he was going thin. It was the Captain make no mistake.'
They giggled a bit more at this then Kate wanted to know if she had not asked old Aggie Burch.
'Hush Kate she'll hear,' Edith said, 'but if you'd seen her face you could never've questioned her.'
'Look I'll just sluice some cold water over me and then I'll get down to the 'all,' Kate answered. 'I wouldn't miss the look she'll be wearin' for nothing in the world, not for a 'ug from an old ugly bastard of a tinker even,' she said.
'An old ugly what? Why Kate Armstrong whatever are you saying?'
'Forget it dearie. There,' she said throwing her towel down, 'I'm off.' And Edith had to rush so as not to be left out below. But where Kate made straight to the servants' hall Edith struck right-handed for the pantry. She was in luck, Raunce was there yet. The moment she saw him she seemed overjoyed. With for her an altogether extraordinary animation she fairly danced up. He stood as though embarrassed, fumbling his nose, squinting.
'Why Charley,' she laughed, 'what d'you know?'
'Yes,' he said solemn.
'Well then isn't this a knock out?' she asked. 'An' it happened to me,' she added. 'After all these years.'
'Now steady on lass there's my lad Bert to consider.'
'Bert?' she asked. 'Why 'e's getting our breakfast or should be at this hour. Why what about him?'
'That lad ain't of an age yet,' Mr Raunce replied but he spoke as though in apology. She quietened down, stopped rocking backwards and forwards and ceased almost pushing her flushed face into his.
'Well aren't you glad?' she went on after a minute, 'for me I mean,' she mocked.
'I can't make you out at all,' he answered.
'Why there's all those stories you've had, openin' this door and seeing that when you were in a place in Dorset and lookin' through the bathroom window down in Wales an' suchlike oh I've heard you or Kate has and now it's come to me. Right a'bed they was next to one another. Stuff that in your old smelly pipe and smoke it.' She began once more to force her body on his notice, getting right up to him then away again, as though pretending to dance. Then she turned herself completely round in front of his very eyes. He seemed ill at ease.
'But how would you know it was me?' she asked suddenly stopping.
'Miss Burch,' he replied. 'It come as a big surprise. I didn't guess she'd have the sense of right and wrong to acquaint me. But I shouldn't pay attention to this mess up if I was you.'
'What d'you mean pay no attention?' she asked and she spoke angry.
'What they see fit to do is no concern of our own,' he said still watching her as if ashamed and surprisingly he yawned.
'You mean you're going to make nothing of it just because I
found 'em? The Captain in Mrs Jack's bed?' She blushed, with anger perhaps. 'You're going to try and take that from me?'
'Take it from you how's that?' he asked.
'Take it away from me,' she repeated and her eyes filled beautifully with tears.
'Honey,' he said calling her this for the first time, 'you don't want to go and talk, see, or you'll likely lose your place?'
'Lose my place?' she echoed, 'I should worry in this lousy hole.'
'Without a reference,' he added, 'you mark what I say.'
'I should worry,' she repeated and for the moment looked as if she might burst out crying. He put on a grin. He looked appealing and upset.
'What they do is no concern of us,' he said again. 'And there's the National bloody Service Officer waitin' for you over on the other side.'
'Don't you swear at me of all people,' she answered. Turning on her heel she actually ran out in the direction of the servants' hall.
Breakfast that morning took place at first in utter silence. Even Kate looked down her nose. Raunce fidgeted and often glanced quickly at Edith who was hurried in everything she did. But as for Miss Burch she could not eat anything at all
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