Loving

Edith laughed at this.

'O. K. dear,' she said, 'you win. You go on asking then?'

'You are going to be married Edie?'

'We are that,' Edith said, lying down full length. Both girls looked up at the ceiling, stretched out on their backs airing their feet.

'Well I wish you all I could wish meself,' Kate said in a low voice.

'Thanks love,' Edith replied matter of fact.

'When's it going to be?'

'As soon as I've got me a few pretties together I shouldn't wonder,' Edith answered.

At this a sort of snorting sob came from the other bed. Edith rolled to look, then sat up. 'Why you're crying,' she exclaimed. She came across and sat on the edge of Kate's eiderdown.

'Whatever for? You are silly,' she added gentle. 'Here,' she said, 'look at you right on top of the quilting. Let's get you comfortable.' She began to roll Kate across to one side to get the eiderdown from underneath her. Kate was limp. 'Oh Edie' she wailed and started to cry noisily.

'Hush dear,' Edith murmured, 'someone'll hear.' She began to ease Kate's clothes off.

'Oh Edie,' Kate moaned. Edith stopped to wipe the girl's face which was damp with tears.

There,' Edith said. 'Now don't you pay attention love. They're nothin' but an old lot of muddlers every one.' She covered Kate's greenish body up.

Kate's violent crying passed to hiccups.

'Why,' she asked turning so that she could watch Edith, 'has one of them spoken about me?'

'No not a word.'

'I got the hiccups,' Kate announced, almost started a giggle. She brightened.'

'Cause you'd've known what to tell 'em if they had?'

'Of course I would dear,' Edith was stroking the nape of Kate's neck.

'Oh that's nice love,' this girl said. She blew her nose on the handkerchief Edith had left ready to hand. 'You don't know what a lot of good that's doin'.'

'And so it should,' Edith answered.

'Thanks duck. And now we're like we used to be isn't that right?'

'That's right.'

'I can't make out what came over me,' Kate went on. 'Honest I can't.'

'It's a hard bloody world.'

'Why Edith I never thought to hear you swear of all people, I didn't that.'

'It's the truth Kate just the same.'

'You're right it is,' Kate said. 'Look I've got rid of my 'iccups. That's one good thing. Yes there's times I could bust right out with it all. It gets you down. An' then your tellin' me about you an' Mr Raunce.'

'I thought you said once you'd never give him a Mr.'

'Oh Edie that's different. Now you're to be married I must show my respect.'

'I don't know dear. I'm sure you can call him Charley for all I care.'

'Have it any way you want,' said Kate peaceably. 'An' where will you live? Are you planning to stay in Kinalty?'

'Yes we got our eye on that little place in the demesne.'

'Oh isn't that lovely.'

'And we're thinking of gettin' his mother to come over to be with us so she will be out of the bombin'.'

'Oh isn't that nice,' Kate said and seemed to choke. She began to cry silently again, great tears welling from her shut eyes.

'Why love,' Edith asked, 'is anything the matter?'

'No,' Kate wailed.

'You're sure now?' Edith went on. Then she asked, There's nothing going to happen to you is there?'

'Me?' Kate echoed, suddenly quiet. 'You mean on account of Paddy don't you?'

'Then there is,' Edith said. Her eyes opened wide.

'Why Edie,' Kate replied serious, 'you wouldn't ever believe that surely?'

'That's all right then.'

'Never in your life,' Kate went on. 'So you guessed?'

'It was Albert told my young ladies. That little bastard had it from Mrs Welch. There's no other word to describe the lad.'

'She calls 'im that 'erself so Jane told me. She heard her.'

'Would you believe it?' Edith murmured.

'But Paddy's not what you suppose dear,' Kate said as if she had given Edith's last remark a certain meaning. 'You've no need to bother yourself about that between Paddy an' me. I'm not goin' to have nothing don't worry. No it was everything got me down all of a sudden.'

'You weren't thinkin' of him in such a way then?'

'Well there's not much else to think of is there Edie?'

'Why he's a Roman.'

'That don't make no difference.'

'I don't suppose it should. But these Irish are not like us.'

'Once I get Paddy smartened up you'd never recognize him for one.'

'But what about his speech, Kate?'

'Yes I know that's a problem. It'll be the hardest thing to alter."

'So you are considering him?' Edith asked.

'There's nobody else. A girl gets lonely,' Kate answered beginning to cry once more. 'And I think you're not bein' gracious about it,' she added.

'There dear,' Edith said, 'you're upset.'

'Don't go,' Kate muttered between sobs.

'I'm not goin' love. You quiet yourself. Life's not easy.'

'You're tellin' me,' Kate agreed and pulled herself together to blow her nose. 'Now d'you know what's come about?'

'What's that?' Edith asked as she began to stroke her again.

'He's in a terrible state about them eggs.'

'What eggs?'

'Why the eggs you put away under waterglass in this very room,' Kate answered.

'But that was months ago. However did he come to learn?'

'It was young Albert again who else? I promise I never told 'im Dothin'. I wouldn't do such a thing. And then in addition Mr Raunce went and informed about that peacock Mrs Welch had in the larder. Oh Edie 'e got in such a state. I was frighted.'

'I'll speak of this to Charley,' Edith said grim.

'It's as you like,' Kate replied, 'but 'e worships the birds, there you are love, he fair worships 'em. There's nothing I can do. And what he's just learned has made 'im act so strange. I don't know what to think, honest I don't.'

'Then what does he say he'll do?' Edith enquired.

'Why 'e talks as if 'e was goin' to lock 'em up and never let the things out any more. Can you tell me how Mrs Tennant'll see that?'

'I'd forgotten all about those old eggs,' Edith said. Then she added in a wondering voice, 'I suppose it was me knowin' I had no more use for 'em.'

'What d'you mean no more use? You used to reckon they'd still be good for your skin even if they had been stood in that stuff.'

'Yes,' Edith said, 'it's not that I've no need any more for my face which'll still come in handy I don't doubt. But the fact is now Raunce an' me's come to an understanding I got no time for charms.'

'I shouldn't wonder if he didn't find time for yours even if you shouldn't,' Kate remarked archly.

Edith blushed.

'Look,' Kate cried and seemed far more cheery, 'you're blushin'.'

'It's not that kind you mention,' Edith said. 'I meant like crossing a gipsy's palm with silver at the fair. A charm to make you seem different,' she explained.

'Would they do the same for me d'you suppose?'

'I don't know Kate seein' I've never tried.'

'But if 'e came upon it Edie 'e'd strangle me.'

'Like little Albert did to one of his peacocks?' Edith was smiling.

'You don't know 'im Edie, there's no one could tell what action 'e'd take.'

'Why should he ever learn?' Edith asked.

'There's not much is kept mum in this house love.'

'O. K. then. But it's only the children after all, Kate, as we've found since little Albert came. They'll never discover. I shan't tell.'

'But d'you think it's real what you believed about the things?'

'There's this to it Kate. He loves the birds, you've just said so. If you used their eggs and he was ignorant then it might do something to him.'

'Just imagine me smarming that muck over my face and chest to please. What we girls do have to put up with.'

'Go on,' Edith said, 'that's nothing,' Both began to giggle. Edith put the heel of her hand up to cover her mouth. 'For land's sake,' she cried.