'I don't know, honest I don't,' the child lied once more. And Edith let it go. And the day laden with sunshine, with the noise of bees broke in upon their silence. There was a sharp smell of geraniums.
'Well I must be off now,' Miss Moira said. She ran away stepping high.
'I don't know,' Charley grumbled good natured again at Albert in the pantry as the lad washed his face, 'I don't rightly know what to make of you an' that's a fact. Speakin' out of turn like you did. There's times I ask myself if you'll ever learn.'
'I'm sorry Mr Raunce.'
'That's O. K. my lad,' said Charley unexpectedly mild. To-day of all days I wouldn't wish to have a disagreement with nobody. But you must use your best endeavours. 'Owever hard it may seem to keep mum for 'eaven's sake keep mum. That's your place and in a manner of speakin' it's mine. You've no knowledge of this ring, nor I have, we none of us know. What's more it's no concern of ours. When Mrs T. made a rumpus soon as she first lost it well then it was up to anyone she spoke to to make a search. She's always puttin' things down where she can't find 'em. But after the first upset let sleepin' dogs lie. D'you get me?'
'Yes Mr Raunce.'
'It did your heart credit to speak up when you did, mind. But you'll discover it don't pay to have a heart on most occasions. Anyway not with a man of his stamp. Where did 'e say 'e come from? What's 'is trade card?'
Albert picked up the man's bit of pasteboard and handed it to Charley.
'Not with wet fingers,' Mr Raunce began again. '
'Ow many times do I have to tell you, wipe your hands when you pass anything and clean your teeth before you have to do with a woman. Holy Jesus', he sang out without warning, 'holy Moses,' he corrected himself, 'what's this?'
'What's the matter Mr Raunce?'
'Why the Insurance Company. I knew it all along. See 'ere. "Irish Regfna Assurance." Don't you read that the way I do.'
'No Mr Raunce.'
'Why spell me out those letters. Irish Regina Assurance. I. R. A. boy. So 'e was one of their scouts, must a' been.'
'I. R. A.?'
'Where's my girl?' Raunce asked and dashed out.
A few days passed. Then one morning while they were at their dinner in the servants' hall that telephone began to ring away in the pantry. Albert came back with a message he had written out in block letters.
'Returning Monday, Tennant,' Raunce read aloud into a silence. 'Well thank God for it,' he added, 'and about time if you ask me.'
'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?'