Loving

'I never knew you so keen to start work again,' Agatha remarked malicious.

'That's all right Miss Burch,' he said.

'There's more in this than meets the eye,' she suggested.

'Why I've not said a word,' he began as Edith watched him anxiously and as though disapproving. Then he went on, 'I've not let on about it because I wouldn't have you bothered. We've all of us got our worries with this bombin' over the other side to mention just the one item. So I thought I'll keep it to meself. Your own back's broad enough I said.'

'Thanks I'm sure,' Miss Burch announced, putting a small slice of potato dainty into her mouth. Then she raised a crooked finger as if to scratch under the wig but thought better perhaps for she picked up the fork again.

'There's things occur which you'd never believe,' he went on.

'Now Charley,' Edith said. It was the first time, as Kate's eyes showed, that the girl had called him in public by his Christian name. 'You don't want to bring all that up,' she ended weak.

'Well we're all one family in this place, there's how I see the situation,' he started. Kate began to giggle. But she got no encouragement from Edith. 'We can share,' he continued, still sentimental. 'Now Mrs T. is comin' back she can clear this little matter up. It was something occurred not more than five days ago.'

'No Charley,' Edith interrupted.

'Bless me,' Miss Burch said staring at her, 'if it's known to another it should be known to me I hope.'

'She couldn't help herself,' Raunce put in. 'She was present when 'e called along with my Albert here.'

'Who called?' Miss Burch enquired.

'The I. R. A. man,' Raunce announced as though with an ultimatum.

'Mercy,' Miss Burch exclaimed, 'and are we going to have that old nonsense all over again?'

'Nonsense it may be to you Miss Burch but you'll excuse me, I know different,' he said.

'Then I'd best learn more,' she suggested.

'It was about the ring,' Edith put in.

'That was 'is pretext right enough,' Raunce said, 'that was how he got past Albert here at the door. It was my bandage,' he explained. 'I couldn't answer the bell dressed as I was. So I sent the lad. If it had been me opened the door to him then with my experience I'd've told within a second, like in the twinklin' of an eye,' he said serious.

'Mrs Tennant's ring she mislaid?' Agatha enquired.

'That was no more than the way he chose to put it,' Charley began again when Miss Burch surprisingly broke out as follows.

'Then they'll needs must dig the drains up,' she cried in what seemed to be great agitation, 'I've said so all along now haven't I?'

'Come, come,' Raunce said, 'there's no call to take things that far,' he said and frowned. 'She's always mislayin' possessions.'

Paddy spoke.

'What's 'e say?' Raunce asked.

'He says that weren't no I. R. A. man if 'e came to the front door,' translated Kate. They only use the back entrance those gentry he reckons.'

'Hark at 'im,' Raunce announced.

'Well how d'you know he's mistaken?' Kate wanted to be told.

'Now then,' Raunce said to her. 'We don't want none o' your backchat my gel thank you.'

'You leave my girls out of it,' Miss Burch ordered but in a weak voice as though about to faint.

'I told you,' Edith said to her Charley.

'I don't know,' Charley said, 'there's times I can't fathom any one of you an' that's a fact. What is all this?'

'What is all this?' Miss Burch echoed in a shrill voice. 'You ask me that? When you're telling us we've had a I. R. A. man actually call at the Castle?'

'But I thought you were on about the drains.'

'Oh you men,' Miss Burch replied faint once more, 'you will never understand even the simplest thing.'

'It was only an insurance inspector came about the ring,' Edith explained. 'I don't know where Mr Raunce got it he was from the I-R. A. I'm sure,' she said.

'You mean he said that ring was stolen?' Miss Burch cried, plainly beside herself again.

'Not on your life,' Charley took her up. 'You ladies will always jump at conclusions.'

'Well what was he here for then?' Miss Burch enquired.

'Why to see 'ow much his Insurance Company could do about it,' Raunce replied. But Miss Burch, who seemed really agitated, was not having any.

'You said just now he was an I. R. A. man,' she objected quavering.

'Well maybe he was both,' Raunce said. They've got to live like everyone else when all's said and done.'

'And we never had the drains up,' Miss Burch wailed. 'Oh dear. Now Mrs Tennant's coming back when it will be too late. Only the other day Mrs Welch was tellin' me they should be dug on account of the children. She's nervous for her Albert.'

'The drains?' Edith asked.

'The drains?' Charley echoed. 'You'll pardon me but you don't dig drains again.'

'Well clean them out then, do whatever you do with the things,' Miss Burch answered a trifle sharper. They're unhealthy as they are now if they aren't worse.'

'We're livin' under a shadow these days,' Raunce announced, 'that's the way it is with all of us. There's matters you mightn't take account of in normal times get you down now.'

Kate began to giggle cautious and looked for support to Edith. Edith however appeared grave. So did Albert who was watching her. Then Edith said to Raunce, 'I don't know, I can't seem to take any account of it,' she said.

'Oh you're young,' Miss Burch told her.

'She's gone and hit the nail right on the head Miss Burch has,' Raunce announced agitated in his turn. 'An I. R. A. man now. An inspector from the Insurance Company. Then the drains an' all on top of all tlv. s bombing not to mention the invasion with Jerry set to cross over with drawn swords, it's plenty to get anyone down.'

At this point Albert spoke. His face was dead white.

'Well I'm crossing over the other side to enlist,' he said.

'What?' Edith sighed.

'Oh?' Raunce shouted. 'Enlist? You at your age? Enlist in what will you oblige me?'

'I'm goin' to be a air gunner,' the lad said.

'An air gunner eh?' Raunce chortled but you could tell he was distracted. 'But you aren't of an age boy. Besides that's the most dangerous of all bloody jobs boy. You'll be killed.'

Edith and Kate had gone pale. Miss Burch's eyes filled with tears. They all stared at Albert except Paddy who went on with his food. Edith said, 'But what about your mum Bert?'

'Sis'11 look after her and I'll be home while I'm waiting till I'm old enough. I wish to get me out of here, then go an' fight,' he said. Miss Burch burst into tears.

'Why you poor dear,' Edith murmured going round the table to her.

'Now look what you done,' Raunce said.

'I'm sorry Mr Raunce I never intended…' the lad mumbled.

'You've no thought for others that's the trouble,' Raunce complained his eyes anxious on Agatha, 'speaking up like you did, sayin' this that and the other. But there it's your age.'

'You let me fetch you a nice cup of tea,' Edith was telling Miss Burch who sat bowed with her face in her hands. 'Oh dear oh dear,' Agatha moaned.

'Gawd strewth look what you done,' Raunce said once more at which Albert got to his feet, moved over to the door. He stood for a moment before he went out.

'I'm sorry Miss Burch I'm sure. I'm goin' to be a air gunner,' he said white, as though defiant.

When the door was shut Miss Burch looked up between her fingers.

'How old would he be?' she asked.

'My Albert?' Raunce replied. 'Not above sixteen I'll be bound.'

'He's eighteen,' Edith said.

'Eighteen?' Raunce cried. 'Why you've only to look at 'im. No girl, I've got it somewhere in my desk, the letter 'e come with I mean, he can't be a day more than I just said.'

'He's eighteen. That was his birthday the other week,' Edith insisted calmly.

'Oh this war,' Miss Burch wailed, then hid her face again.

'You run and carry her a cup of tea,' Edith asked Kate.

'All right I'll go,' the girl replied unwilling.

But Miss Burch would not stay. She said she had best lie down for a spell. So Edith slipped out to the kitchen to ask Kate to fetch that cup to Agatha's room. When she got back in the hall she found Raunce seated on his own there. Paddy had probably gone back to his peacocks. So she sat down alongside him although this must have seemed rather noticeable, seeing that it was nearly time to start work.