Loving, Living, Party Going (8 page)

'It's only nanny's rheumatism,' Miss Moira quoted.

'Why come to that I got an uncle 'as 'is joints boiled Tuesdays and Thursdays over at St Luke's down the old Bow Road.'

'Now shall poor old nanny tell you a story of the two white doves that didn't agree?'

Moira nudged Evelyn and pointed. A pair of these birds on a ledge were bowing beak to beak. The two girls copied them, nodding deeply one to the other as they sat on either side of Miss Swift. This woman rubbed a knee with both hands without looking at it. She had closed her eyes.

'Once upon a time there were six little doves lived in a nest,' she began and Raunce came out of an unused door in that Castle wall. The rusted hinges creaked. The two girls waved but Mrs Welch's Albert beyond Evelyn might almost have been said to cringe. Raunce put a finger to his lips. He was on his way back from the round he had made of the peacocks' corn bins and during which he startled Kate and Edith. Then Miss Evelyn and Miss Moira each put a finger to their mouths as they went on bowing to each other. Raunce made off. Miss Swift continued,

'Because they were so poor and hungry and cold in their thin feathers out there in the rain.' She opened her eyes. 'Children,' she said, 'stop those silly tricks' and the girls obeyed. 'But the sun came out to warm them,' she intoned.

'Jesus,' Albert muttered, 'look at that.'

This dovecote was a careful reproduction of the leaning tower of Pisa on a small scale. It had balconies to each tier of windows. Now that the birds had settled again they seemed to have taken up their affairs at the point where they had been interrupted So that all these balconies were crowded with doves and a heavy murmur of cooing throbbed the air though at one spot there seemed to be trouble.

'You're very very wicked boy,' said Evelyn to Albert looking where she thought he looked. What she saw was one dove driving another along a ledge backwards Each time it reached the end the driven one took flight and fluttered then settled back on that same ledge once more only to be driven back the other way to clatter into air again. This was being repeated tirelessly when from another balcony something fell.

'That's ripe that is,' Albert said.

'I didn't see,' Evelyn cried. 'I didn't really. What came about?'

'And then there was a time,' the nanny said from behind closed
eyes and the wall of deafness, 'oh my dears your old nanny hardly knows how to tell you but the naughty unloyal dove I told of.

'It was a baby one,' Albert said.

'A baby dove. Oh do let me see.'

'I daresn't stir,' he said.

'Where did she fall then?' Evelyn asked.

'Quiet children,' Miss Swift said having opened her eyes, 'or I shan't finish the story you asked after, restless chicks,' she said. 'And then there came a time,' she went on, shutting her eyes again, hands folded.

'What? Where?' Moira whispered.

'It was a baby one,' Albert said, 'and nude. That big bastard pushed it.'

'The big what?' Evelyn asked. 'Oh but I mean oughtn't we to rescue the poor?'

'Where did she drop then?' Moira wanted to be told But a rustle made them turn about on either side of Miss Swift who sat facing that dovecote shuteyed and deaf. They saw Kate and Edith in long purple uniforms bow swaying towards them in soft sunlight through the white budding branches, fingers over lips. Even little Albert copied the gesture back this time. All five began soundlessly giggling in the face of beauty.

'Did you see Mr Raunce?' Kate asked at last.

' 'E went that way,' Albert answered while the two girl children sat with forefingers still on their mouths.

'What did 'e come out of?' Kate asked.

'That door,' Albert said.

'And then they were in great peril every mortal one,' Miss Swift continued.

'And oh Edith,' Miss Evelyn announced, 'we've been watching the doves they are so funny.'

'I shouldn't pay attention if I was you dear.'

'Why shouldn't I pay attention?'

'Not if I was you I shouldn't.'

'Why shouldn't I?' Miss Evelyn asked.

'Because they're very rum them birds,' Kate said also whispering.

'Why are they rum?' Miss Moira asked.

'I'll say they're rum,' Albert announced. 'One of the old 'uns shoved a young bird and 'e fell down right on 'is nut.'

'Well I never,' Kate remarked to Edith. They watched that dovecote over the children's heads.

'Sssh,' said Edith watching rapt. The children turned. There were so many doves they hardly knew which way to look.

'And then there came a time when this wicked tempting bird came to her father to ask her hand,' Miss Swift said, passing a dry tongue over dry lips, shuteyed.

'It don't seem right not out in the open,' Kate mentioned casual.

'And again over there too and there,' said Edith.

'Where?' cried Miss Evelyn too loud though not sharp enough as she thought to interrupt Miss Swift. The nanny just put a hand on her arm while she droned.

'Oh what are they doing then?' Miss Moira cried.

'They're kissing love,' Kate answered low.

'Hush dear,' said Edith.

'But where Kate I don't see. Oh look at those two oh look she's got her head right down his beak, she's going to strangle him,' and Moira's voice rose 'Nanny nanny stop it quick.'

'Good gracious child what's this?'

But the children had got up and as they rose every dove was apart once more and on the wing, filling the air with sighing.

'Why now Edith and Kate whatever do you think you're about?'

'We've just finished our dinner,' Kate replied.

'Wandering all over the grounds where anyone might see. Who's ever heard?' the nanny said. 'Sit down children and you Albert. If you're going to stay with us you'll do as you're told.'

'Yes'm.'

'Well we're accustomed to let our dinner settle,' Kate said.

'And I make no doubt you use that to get away of an afternoon and let the work look after itself. You'll have Miss Burch after you.'

'Come away, dear,' Edith said to Kate.

'Doves kissing indeed,' Miss Swift called surprisingly after their backs, 'stuff and nonsense. That's the mother feeding her little one dears If you sit quiet enough you'll see for yourselves,' she said to the children. 'And now where was I?'

'You were at that bit where the kind old father says he can marry her 'cause he's getting too old to know better.'

'Well now that's right,' Miss Swift began once more and the
doves, spiralling down in the funnel made by trees which were coming out all over in a yellow green through chestnut sheaths the colour of a horse's coat, settled one after another each outside the door to his quarters and after strutting once or twice went on quarrelling, murdering and making love again. 'So then not knowing any better he let him have her hand,' the nanny said.

Breathless the children watched this leaning tower. Very soon one white dove was crouching with opened beak before another with stuck-out chest. Not long after that they were at it once more and the fat bird, grown thin now, had his head deep down the other's neck which was swallowing in frantic gulps that shook its crescent body. Elsewhere another bird trundled an egg to the edge. Yet another chased a fifth to a corner until it fluttered over behind where these two began again. In pairs they advanced and retreated. Then one more small mass fell without a thud, pink.

'There y'are,' said Albert.

'Where? I didn't see. Oh I've missed again,' Evelyn said. 'Did you?' to Moira.

'You're none of you listening you naughty children,' the nanny said. 'Here's poor nanny wasting her breath and you don't pay attention. We'd better get on with our walk if you ask me.'

'Why nanny?'

'Are you coming?'

'Yes'm.'

'But why nanny?'

'Because nanny says so. Come on now. We'll go down by the fish 'atchery,' and she made off, holding Evelyn by the hand. She dragged on her right leg.

'Tell you what,' Albert said to Moira as they loitered to follow, 'I'll bite 'is little 'ead off'n.'

'You'll what?'

'Like they did in the local where I was evacuated.'

'What's the local?'

'In the pub down in the country. There was a man there bit the 'eads off of mice for a pint. The lady I was evacuated with said so.'

'You shan't you wicked boy I'll call nanny.'

'I'll show yer,' he said darting sideways towards the base of that tower. 'You wait till I find'm,' he said and she burst out wailing.
Miss Swift came back, mopped the child's face. The others watched as though disinterested. She did not ask Albert. 'I'll tell Mrs Welch about you' was all she told him.

Later that same afternoon Raunce was in the pantry lending his lad a hand with the tea things. That is to say while his Albert washed the cups and saucers, the spoons and plates, Raunce held up a heavy silver tray like a cymbal to polish it. 'Ha' he went at the expanse of mirror metal, 'ha,' then he rubbed his breath away as he whistled through his teeth in time to the short strokes in the way a man will when grooming a horse, and squinting terribly the while.

Suddenly he spoke. Bert grew quiet at his voice. Raunce said,

'I could have laughed right in her face,' and stopped.

'When was that?' Albert enquired.

'Yes so I could and with you sitting there still as a mouse.'

The boy looked speechless at him.

'Oh get on with your work,' Raunce quoted from another context There was another lull while Albert redoubled his effort and the butler watched. 'It's not as if we had all night,' Raunce went on, 'which is to say I have not,' he said speaking genteely and he let a short guffaw, 'lucky Charley they call me, begorrah,' he added.

'Yes Mr Raunce,' mumbled Albert.

'It won't wash your acting the innocent my lad. The moment she come in that door between the scullery and where we was sitting over our tea I could tell you felt the draught.'

'I didn't feel nothing.'

'When Mrs Welch reported present on the steps there was something caused my eyes to settle on that cheese face of yours, something told me. And when she started about that waterglass of 'ers which is missing I says to myself Charley you don't have to look far, it's plain as my face in the mirror. What induced you to take the stuff?'

'I never.'

'Come on tell uncle.'

'I never took nothing.'

'You've no call to feel uneasy my lad. I've not made out I was any different from what I am now have I?'

'Mr Raunce I haven't so much as seen it.'

'Well, if you won't, then I will. I'll tell you. It's because you overheard me say what my old mother had written that they was on the
very brink of starvation over in London with the bombing. You must've idea'd you'd go get hold of some to send 'em a few eggs in.'

'Gawd's truth I did not Mr Raunce.'

'Don't stand there like a stuck pig my lad. Get down to it for the love of Moses. We aren't finished with the day's work by a long chalk. But you got your parents in London yet?' he went on. 'Haven't you?'

There was no reply except for the slop of sink water.

'Well haven't you?'

'Yes Mr Raunce.'

'All right then why make a mystery? You thought you might send 'em along an egg or two.'

'I tell you I never.'

'I'm not saying you did, all I'm telling you is you thought you might. There's times I despair of you my lad,' Raunce said. 'Well not possibly make anything out of you that's one item dead certain. And another thing now. Once you can shine a bit of good silver up like this here you'll have learned a start of the trade that's took me many a long year to master. And I'm still learning.'

'I couldn't even name what that glass is for,' the boy uttered deep in his sink.

'D'you want me to fetch you one?' Raunce shouted at once. 'Would you provoke me to strike you? No? Then don't attempt impudence again. There's the National Service Officer waiting the other side for growing lads such as you soon as you're of age.'

'Yessir,' the boy said as though galvanized.

'And don't call me sir,' Raunce said calmer, 'give a Mr when you address me that's all I ask. Well if you won't tell you won't. You may be right at that. See nothing know nothing as they say in the Army.'

Albert tried a furtive smile.

'I don't say I blame you,' Raunce went on after pondering a moment He was picking his teeth with a needle he had taken from underneath the lapel of his coat 'But one thing we will get straight here and now,' he said. 'Keep all of it to yourself if you wish. And clean your teeth of course before you have anything to do with a woman. Yet if I 'ave any more of that side from you there's one
thing you can bet your life. A word to Mrs T. from me, just one little word and it's the Army for you my lad, old king and country and all the rest d'you understand.'

'Yes Mr Raunce.'

'Where'd those two girls of Miss Burch go working after tea did you happen to notice?'

'Over in the empty place.'

'Yes but what part?'

'I couldn't tell. I never 'eard. On my oath I don't bloody know.'

'O.K. O.K. what's all the excitement?' Raunce said. 'If you don't know you don't,' he said. 'That's all there is to it. But I got a message to give one or both of 'em see? Lucky Charley they call me. I chanced upon one of their little games this dinnertime. And if that bell was to go just you answer it. If they should want to know where I am say I'm down in the cellar d'you understand. All right? But I shan't be more'n a minute,' he said as he glided softly out softly whistling. The boy trembled.

As has been explained most of this great house was closed. It was for Kate and Edith once or twice each week to open various dust-sheeted rooms to let the air in. When Raunce after making his way up the Grand Staircase, going through the Long Gallery and past the Chapel came to a great sombre pair of doors which divided one part of this Castle from the other, he passed once he had opened these into yet another world. And in spite of his training they made a booming sound as he shut them behind him.

He stood to listen through a white-wrapped dimness. For what he heard was music. In a moment he knew he heard a waltz.