'Nothing.'
'It's not about the old ring any more is it?' she enquired.
'Well Albert's goin' did set 'er mind on it once again. Seems that she'd told him she couldn't accept his notice while he was under suspicion, or so she made out to me. I thought we'd better make an end to that talk. "Look Madam," I said to her, "you can't deny you have the ring back so where's the evidence," I said. She says to me, "But it's what I suspect Raunce, that's where the shoe pinches," or some such phrase. "I can't guarantee it won't happen a second time Madam," I told her, "an* if anything should, then you report it to me Madam an' I'll see you don't have any more trouble. There's things I didn't know then that I know now," I says. "I see Raunce," she said. "Then you don't wish for me to do another thing and I can sleep quiet into the bargain?"
"You silly old cow you can do just that," I said to her only I didn't.'
'Charley that's not very nice,' Edith objected.
'But we've 'ad about enough surely? There's more going on in the world these days than a little crazy bastard of a cook's nephew having the laugh on us. Secreted it right here too didn't he? I shouldn't mind if I never set eyes on these blasted white pigeons again,' he ended.
'Why,' she said, 'your pain you've got's upset you.'
'You're dead right it has,' he replied. 'You don't benefit by your night's rest,' she went on. He appeared to warm to this description of his symptoms. That's exactly it,' he agreed. 'I sometimes just seem to do nothin' but turn over.'
'And d'you always think of me?' she asked taking tighter hold of the arm she had hung on to.
'You bet I do,' he answered. 'More'n you ever realize.' That's right,' she said, 'then you won't come by much harm.'
'I do love you Edie.'
'Do you?'
'D'you know I sometimes wonder if the air in these parts hadn't a lot to do with my stomach,' he began again. 'I couldn't say if it's too weak or too strong but there's something about these sea breezes might be harmful to a delicate constitution. What d'you say?' He was dead serious.
'No that's good for you.'
'Then what d'you reckon can be the matter with me Edie?' It was plain she was not worried. 'D'you think Mrs Welch is slipping a pinch of something in your food?' she asked maliciously, hardly paying attention.
'I wouldn't put that past her,' he replied. 'But she's too set on keepin' young Albert over on this side of the water to start a game like it. Why if I had proof I'd choke the life out of 'er by pokin' a peacock down that great gullet she has.' Edith laughed. 'I would straight,' he assured her in a strong voice. 'And that's a death would be too good for the woman, the diabolical mason.'
'Women can't be masons. They aren't accepted.'
'Can't they,' he retorted. That's all you know then.'
'It takes all sorts to make a world,' she remarked.
'You're telling me,' he said. Holding one of her hands in his he shut his eyes and appeared to want to rest. 'I'd tear the 'eart right out of 'er,' he added in a weak voice.
'I had a look over that little house Charley,' she murmured soft after a moment.
'You what?'
'Where we're goin' to live when we're married,' she explained.
'So you did did you?" he said stirring in his seat.
'Why whatever's the matter now?' she asked. 'You wished me to surely?'
'I shouldn't wonder if my ideas hadn't changed,' he said cautious. 'About where we plan to find a home together,' he added.
'What's come over you Charley?' she enquired. She began at last to show signs of alarm.
'What experience I've had, and I've 'ad some mind, has gone to show that it's no manner of use hanging on in a place where you're not valued,' he said.
'But there are the little extras,' she cried. That two or three quid a week you speak about.'
'Oh well,' he answered, 'it's no more'n can be picked up in any butler's job if you know the ropes. No, what's goin' on over in Britain is what bothers me. The way things are shapin' it wouldn't come as a surprise if places such as this weren't doomed to a natural death so to say.'
'Go on with you,' she replied. 'Why if Mrs Tennant loses all her dough there'll always be those that took it. Don't you tell me there isn't good pickings to be had in service long after our children have said thank you madam for the first bawlin' out over nothing at all that they'll receive.' She was beginning to speak like him.
'That's as may be girl,' he countered, 'but from all accounts there's some lovely money going in munitions.'
'Yes and then once this old war's over it's out on your ear with no work.'
'Yet you've just argued that there'll be jobs in service we can go back to,' he complained.
'Stay in what you know, that's what I always maintain,' Edith announced although she had never before expressed an opinion one way or the other.
'Well you may be right but it's this country gets me down.'
'You're fed up, Charley, on account of your stomach.'
'It's too bloody neutral this country is.'
'Too neutral?' she echoed.
'Well there's danger in being a neutral in this war,' he said, •you've only to read the newspapers to appreciate that.'
'I thought you'd given up listenin' to such talk,' she complained.
'And then my lad going over to give 'imself up, to enlist.'
'What's that to do with you an' me?' she grumbled, 'I'm unsettled. There you are. This has unsettled me Edie.'
'Charley what's the matter? You tell. Nothing serious is it dear?'
'I received a letter this morning.'
'You've had bad news?'
'Not exactly,' he admitted.
'Then who was it from?' she asked.
'My mum wrote me.'