Loving

'I got a sister over at home,' he said low.

'What's that?' she asked careless. 'I can't hear you with the sea.'

'I got a sister works in an airplane factory,' he began. If she heard him she gave no indication. 'Madge we call her. They's terrible the hours she puts in.'

He lay on his stomach facing inland while Edith watched the ocean.

'I've only her and mum left now,' he went on. 'Dad, 'e died a month or two afore I came here. He worked in a fruiterer's in Albany Place. It was a cancer took 'im.'

When he broke off the heavy Atlantic reverberated in their ears.

'Now Mr Raunce writes to his,' he continued, 'and can't never get a reply. And there's me writes to mine, every week I do since this terrible bombing started but I don't ever seem to receive no answers though every time 'e comes over I'm afeared mum an' sis must've got theirs. To read the papers you wouldn't think there was anything left of the old town.'

'That young Albert,' Edith yelled against the sea, 'I regret we took him along.'

Raunce's Albert looked over his shoulder on the side away from Edith but could not see how his namesake was misbehaving.

'You see with dad gone I feel responsible,' he tried again loud. 'I know I'm only young but I'm earnin' and there's times I consider I ought to be back to look after them. Not that I don't send the best part of me wages each week. I do that of course.'

A silence fell.

'What did you say your sister's name was?' Edith asked.

'Mum had her christened Madge,' the lad replied. He tried a glance at Edith but she was not regarding him. To tell you the truth,' he continued, 'I did wonder what's the right thing? I thought maybe you could advise me?' He looked at her again. This time she was indeed contemplating him though he could not make out the expression in her enormous eyes behind the black yew branch of windblown hair.

He turned away once more. He spoke in what seemed to be bitterness.

'Of course I'm only young I know,' he said.

'Well it's not as if they'd written for you is it?' she announced, on which he turned over and lay on his side to face her. She was looking out to sea again.

'No but then they're like that. Mum always reckoned she'd rather scrub the house out than take a pen. Madge's the same. It's 'ard to know what's for the best,' he ended.

'I should stay put,' she said, speaking impartially. 'You're learnin' a trade after all. If they should ever come for you into the Army you could be an officer's servant. We're all right here.'

'Then you don't reckon there's much in what they say about this invasion? If there's one thing I don't aim at it's being interned by the Jerries.'

'Oh that's all a lot of talk in my opinion,' she answered. 'You don't want to pay no attention. Oh me oh my,' she said, 'but isn't it slow for a picnic. Here,' and at this she leant over him, 'let's see if we can't set old Kate goin'.'

She picked up a stray bit of spent straw which was lying on his other side then lowered all the upper part of her body down onto his, resting her elbow between him and the sleeping girl. Her mouth was open in a soundless laugh so that he could see the wet scarlet roof as she reached over to tickle Kate's sand-coloured eyebrows.

Kate's face twitched. Her arm that was stretched white palm upwards along deep green moss struggled to lift itself as though caught on the surface of a morass. Then still asleep she turned away abrupt till the other cheek showed dented with what she was lain on. She muttered once out loud 'Paddy.'

At this Edith burst into giggles bringing her hand still with its bit of straw up to her mouth as, eyes welling, she looked direct into Albert's below her. He lay quiet and yellow in a simper. This brought her up sharp.

'Can't you even have a joke?' she asked.

'Well you're a pretty pair no mistake,' Kate said and yawned. They found she was sitting to rearrange her tow locks.

'Not so comical as you, you believe me,' Edith answered removing herself from off Albert. He turned over onto his stomach again, facing Ireland.

'What have I done now then?' Kate wanted to know. 'Can't a girl treat herself a nap?'

'Forget it dear,' Edith told her.

'I don't know as I want to forget,' Kate replied. 'It's not nice finding people makin' fun of you when you're asleep.'

'It's only what you brought out love,' Edith sweetly said.

'What was that then?'

'You called a name.'

'Is that all,' Kate announced and blushed, which was unusual with her. 'Why from the fuss you two made lain right in each other's arms you'd imagine it might be something serious.'

'We wasn't,' Albert said sharp, twisting his head towards her. His eyes did not seem to see.

'Oh all right let it pass,' Kate replied. Her blush had gone. 'But you can take it from me what I witnessed was sufficient to make them precious children look twite if they'd noticed.'

'Just let 'im be,' Edith said indifferent.

'There's one thing I won't have,' Kate quoted looking with malice at Edith, 'an' that is the children bein' worried by it the little lambs.'

Edith gave a short laugh.

'Why who said that?' Albert asked.

'Miss Swift.'

'What for?' he enquired.

'And I say she's an old duck stickin' up for them,' Edith interrupted. They don't want to be bothered with what I witnessed, not yet awhiles any old how. They got plenty of time to learn.'

'You mean what you saw when you called Mrs Jack?' the lad said scornful. 'That old tale?'

'E won't believe it yet,' Kate announced as if delighted.

'Call it a tale if you will,' Edith answered. There's many a time I've wished I hadn't been the one. But you ask Agatha Burch if you disbelieve me. Stark naked she sat up in bed as the day she was born.'

'Get out?' Albert politely said.

'Well she's right Miss Swift is,' Edith added above the boy's head. Their mother's everything to them I should hope? Nor you'd never get 'em to believe if you did tell them. Not like you and someone I could mention.'

That's enough,' Kate said violent. 'I've had all I can stomach from…'

'Land's sakes,' Edith called scrambling to her feet, 'will you just look what they're at now all three,' she cried making off at a run down to the ocean.

'Come on,' Kate said, 'give us a kiss when she's not lookin'.'

But he would not, did not even bother to reply. Yet the moment Edith came back he rolled over to ask if she had forgotten she had still to return him that gauntlet glove.

'What glove?' she asked as she sat down once more.

'Why the one you had full of eggs it must be six weeks since.'

'I got one or two things of hers when Mrs T. arrives,' she said.

'How's that Edie?' Kate asked opening her gimlet eyes.

'Oh nothing dear, nothing which is to say that concerns you,' Edith sweetly answered. 'It's only that she will leave things lying idle.'

'Like her ring,' Kate commented shrewd. 'Which was worth more than an old king's ransom I'll be bound.'

'Which ring?' the lad enquired.

'Why Albert I will admit you're chronic,' Edith said. 'You mean to lie there and tell us you never heard of Mrs Tennant's ring that was mislaid.'

'I never heard nothing.'

'No more he would,' Kate announced. "He's simple that's all.'

'Well,' Edith said, 'I made sure you must have. It was only that she's lost another valuable, a ring this time. But I chanced to come upon it the other day.'

'You did?' Kate exclaimed sitting up, 'an' you never told me.'

'Oh I've got it hid away trust little Edith,' Edith announced dully. 'They're never goin' to pin a thing on me they can call stealing by findin'. Once she gets back I'll tell her just where she'll come upon it,' she said.

'An object like that,' was Kate's comment. 'It's hid well away. There's only Miss Moira I've showed to an' she'd never tell. I worship that child,' Edith said.

'There you go again,' Kate exclaimed, 'when she's right under the thumb of Mrs Welch's precious lad. They both are. After what 'e done to that peacock one or two sapphires in a ring would be mincemeat for 'im.'