Loving, Living, Party Going (23 page)

'The drains?' Mrs Tennant echoed.

'That's what was said,' Mrs Welch insisted.

'Who said? I never gave orders.'

'No mum I'd be the last to say you did seein' you knew nothing. Only when that lovely cluster ring you had was lost, an' what a terrible thing to 'appen, there was one or two did mention that takin' 'em up was the only thing.'

'Down the drain?' Mrs Tennant cried. 'How fantastic.'

'Ah I could've told them they'd never get away with that,' Mrs Welch rejoined as though triumphant. 'Fantastic's the word beggin' your pardon. Down the plumbin' indeed when it was all the time right where I'll be bound it is this moment if it's not already been come upon.'

'No,' Mrs Tennant said guarded, 'there's no trace.'

'Ah there you are,' Mrs Welch replied profound.

'Now Mrs Welch I don't think we shall get anywhere like this,' Mrs Tennant gently expostulated.

'Just as you please mum,' the cook answered calm. 'And what would you fancy for your luncheon?'

'That is to say what I really came for was to ask your advice,' Mrs Tennant countered, looking again to make sure the kitchen door was shut.

'I shouldn't think twice about the stench of drains,' Mrs Welch put in, 'that was likely nothin' really. Probably the way the wind lay or something.'

'I haven't had you with me all these years without getting to know when I'm to take you seriously,' Mrs Tennant replied. 'No it's about Albert'

'Albert?' Mrs Welch echoed with a set look on her face. ' 'Ave they been on to you about Albert?'

'Well you know he's admitted it.'

'Admitted what I'd like to be told?' cried Mrs Welch.

'Why he did to me only a quarter of an hour ago.'

'What about?' Mrs Welch asked grim.

'Well what we've been discussing, my sapphire cluster ring,' Mrs Tennant answered.

'Your lovely sapphire cluster,' Mrs Welch echoed anguished. 'Why the lyin' lot of... no I won't say it, that would be too good for em.

'D'you think the others have had a part in this then?'

'I don't think. I know mum,' Mrs Welch announced.

'But they would hardly have told him what to say to incriminate himself?'

'Criminal?' Mrs Welch replied, her voice rising. 'That's just it mum. For this is what those two are, that Raunce and his Edith. I don't say nothin' about their being lain all day in each other's arms, and the best part of the night too very likely though I can't speak to the night time, I must take my rest on guard and watch as I am while it's light outside, lain right in each other's arms,' she resumed, 'the almighty lovers they make out they are but no more than fornicators when all's said and done if you'll excuse the expression, where was I? Yes. "Love" this an' "dear" that, so they go on day and night yet they're no better than a pair of thieves mum, misappropriatin' your goods behind your back.'

'Mrs Welch,' Mrs T. protested rising to her feet with a deep look of distaste. 'I won't listen,' she was going on but the cook interrupted.

'I'm sorry mum but you must allow me my say. There's been insinuations made and it's only right I should have the privilege to cast 'em back in the teeth of those that's made it. They're like a pair of squirrels before the winter layin' in a store with your property mum against their marriage if they ever find a parson to be joined in matrimony which I take leave to doubt. And it's not your ring alone. Did you ever look to the cellar mum? Why you hadn't been gone over into England more than a few hours when I chanced to look into that jar where I keep my waterglass. I was just goin' over my stores as I do regular every so often. Believe it or not there was above a quart gone. So I made my enquiry. You'll never credit this'm. It seems that Edith has been makin' away with the peacock's eggs to store them. There you are. But that's child's play. Listen to this.'

'Peacock's eggs? Whatever for?'

'Because they're starvin' over the other side the ordinary common people are begging your pardon mum.'

'Really Mrs Welch,' Mrs Tennant began again peremptory.

'I'm sorry I'm sure,' the cook insisted, 'but a few dozen eggs and a gallon or two of that stuff is child's play. Take the dead peacock. Stuffed 'im in my larder Raunce did all a'crawlin' with maggots over the lovely bit of meat I'd got for their supper. And what for you'll ask? As well you might. Ah you'd never believe their wickedness. It's to set that I R A, man Conor against me, that devil everyone's afeared for their life of in this place. And they're in it the two of them over your corn that's fed to the birds, Raunce an' that mad Irishman is. Like it was over the gravel between Raunce again an' Michael. The diabolical plunderers,' she said and paused to take breath, her face a dark purple.

'I'm not going to listen. I shall leave you till you're in a fit state. ...' Mrs Tennant insisted wearily but Mrs Welch cut her short by shambling forward between her mistress and the door.

'Yet when they grow bold to come forward with their lying tales,' she went on, and grew hoarse, 'when they say cruel lies about the innocent, their fingers winkin' with your rings once your back is turned, then the honest shan't stay silent. If I should let myself dwell on what they told you, that my Albert, my sister's own son, so much as set eyes on that ring of yours or anything which belongs to you an' you don't know how to look after, then that's slander and libel, that there is, which is punishable by law.'

'All this is too absurd,' Mrs Tennant said cold. 'What's more I shouldn't be a bit surprised if you hadn't been drinking. I've wondered now for some time. In any case it never was a question of your Albert but of the pantry boy.'

'Gin?' Mrs Welch cried, 'I've not come upon any yet in this benighted island and you'll excuse me mum but I know who was intended, which Albert...'

'Now then,' Mrs Tennant cut her short in a voice that carried Jane and Mary went crimson outside, began to giggle. 'Out of my way.' Mrs Welch leant back against the dresser. Her face was congested. She was in difficulty with her breathing.

'An' my pots and pans,' she began once more but this time in a mutter.

'We won't say any more about this,' Mrs Tennant went on, 'but if I ever find you like it another time you'll go on the next boat d'you hear me, even if I have to cook for the whole lot of you myself. Good mornin' to you. Oh I forgot what I really came about,' she added turning back. 'Mr Jack's been given embarkation leave now so Mrs Jack is bringing him home by the day boat to-morrow.' And on that she left.

As she came out of that swing door which bounded Mrs Welch's kingdom she found Raunce waiting bent forward in obvious suspense and excitement.

'It's been recovered Madam,' he announced.

'What has Arthur?'

'Why your sapphire ring Madam.'

'Thank you,' she said as though she had not heard. Taking it from him she slipped it on a finger. As she walked away she said half under her breath but loud enough for him to hear,

'And now perhaps you'll tell me what I'm to say to the Insurance Company?'

He was absolutely stunned. His jaw hung open.

'Oh Raunce,' she called over her shoulder. He stood up straight Perhaps he simply could not make a sound.

'Who found it?' she asked.

He seemed to pull himself together.

'It was Edith,' he answered at random and probably forgot at once whom he had named.

Even then she had the last word. She turned round when she was some way off down the passage.

'Oh Raunce,' she said, 'I'm afraid your luncheon to-day may be burned,' gave a short laugh, then was gone.

Young Mrs Tennant came into the Red Library where her mother-in-law was seated at the desk which had a flat sloping top of rhinoceros hide supported on gold fluted pillars of wood.

'Where's Jack?' she asked.

'Fishing of course dear.'

'I shouldn't have thought there was enough water in the river.'

'Oh Violet,' Mrs Tennant replied, 'that reminds me. Ask tomorrow if I've told Raunce the servants can't have any more baths,
so that I shan't forget. Or not more than one a week anyway until we can be sure the wells won't go dry.'

'I will. Was he always as fond of fishing?'

'Always. But tell me Violet. Oughtn't we to do something about him in the evenings? Get someone over I mean. Another man so that he needn't sit over his port alone.'

'But who is there now they've stopped the petrol?' the young woman asked. 'Anyway I'd have thought a girl would have been better.'

'Oh no we don't want anything like that do we? In any case they're all Roman Catholics. No I was thinking of Captain Davenport?'

'Not him,' Mrs Jack answered too quickly.

'Why not Violet? He used to be such a companion of yours?'

'Well I don't think Jack likes him.'

'Oh I shouldn't pay any attention,' Mrs Tennant said vaguely. 'I've so often noticed that if they can talk salmon trout they never go as far as disliking one another. Ring him up.'

'You're sure? I mean I don't want to crowd the house out just when you've got Jack home.'

'Oh really Violet,' her mother-in-law replied. 'That's perfectly sweet of you but in this great barn of a place with the servants simply eating their heads off it's a breath of fresh air to see someone new. Oh the servants, Violet darling,' Mrs Tennant said in tragic tones. She turned her leather Spanish stool round to face the younger woman.

'Have they been tiresome again?'

'Did I tell you I'd got my ring back?' Mrs Tennant enquired.

'No. How splendid.'

'My dear it was quite fantastic. When I arrived I found all the servants up in arms about it with not a trace of the ring. They were going round in small circles accusing each other.'

'Good lord,' her daughter-in-law remarked looking almost rudely out of the open window on the edge of which she was perched.

'Whether it's never having been educated or whether it's just plain downright stupidity I don't know,' the elder Mrs Tennant went on, 'but there's been the most detestable muddle about my sapphire ring.'

'Your sapphire cluster ring?'

'Yes I lost it just before we crossed over for Jack's leave. You know I told you. I was wearing the thing one day and the next I knew it was gone. I must have taken it off to wash my hands. Anyway suddenly it had disappeared into thin air. Such a lovely one too that Jack's Aunt Emily gave me.'

'You never said,' Mrs Jack complained limp.

'Didn't I darling? Well there it is. And the moment I got inside the house three days ago I found Raunce crossing and uncrossing his fingers obviously most terribly nervous about something. Well I let him get it off his chest and what d'you think? It seems that when the insurance inspector came down after I'd reported the loss the pantry Albert all at once went mad and said he'd got it whatever that means. What would you say?'

'Why I suppose he'd picked the thing up somewhere.'

'My dear that's just what I thought at the time. But not at all. Oh no Raunce took the trouble to explain the boy had never even seen my ring. In the meantime of course the inspector had gone back to Dublin and I received a rather odd letter from them, everything considered, and only this morning to say that in view of the circumstances they could not regard the thing as lost. Well that's quite right because I'm wearing it now. But what I can't and shall never understand is what the boy thought he had or had got, whichever it was. Now d'you think I ought to take all this further?'

'It's so complicated,' Mrs Jack complained.

'Would you advise me to have Raunce in and get to the bottom of things I mean?'

At this question the younger woman suddenly displayed unusual animation. She got up, stood with her back to the light, and began to smooth her skirts.

'Not if I were you,' she said. 'Let sleeping dogs lie.'

This answer probably made Mrs Tennant obstinate. 'But I should at least like to know where it was found,' she cried. 'Why there is Edith. Edith,' she summoned her shrilly, 'come here a moment I want you.'

The girl came modest through the open portals. She did not look at Mrs Jack.

'Where did you find my sapphire ring in the end Edith?'

'Me Madam?' she replied almost sharp, 'I never found your ring Madam.'

'But Raunce told me you did when he gave it back.'

'Not me Madam,' Edith said looking at the floor.

'Then who did find it then?'

'I couldn't say Madam.'

'Oh why is there all this mystery Edith? The whole thing's most unsatisfactory.'

The housemaid stayed silent, calm and composed.

'Yes that's all how you can go,' Mrs Tennant said as though exasperated. 'Shut the door will you please?'

When they were alone again Mrs Tennant raised a hand to her ear which she tugged.

'Well there you are Violet. What d'you think?'

'I expect you heard wrong. Perhaps Raunce said someone else.'

'Oh no I'm not deaf yet. I know he named Edith.'

'Darling,' Mrs Jack entreated, 'I'm sure you're not. At all events you've got your ring back haven't you?'

'Yes but I don't like having things hang over me.'

'Hanging over you?'

'When there's something unexplained. Don't you ever feel somehow that you must get whatever it is cleared up? And then I don't think I can afford to keep the insurance going. It comes so frightfully expensive these days. But if I feel that there is someone not quite honest who perhaps was caught out by the servants and made to give the thing back then I do think it would be madness to let the insurance drop. Violet don't you find that everything now is the most frightful dilemma always? But I don't suppose you do. You're so wonderfully calm all the time dear.'

'I'm not if you only knew. But you've got so many worries with everything you have to manage.'

'That's just it. And when you feel there's someone in the house you can't trust matters become almost impossible.'

'Someone you can't trust?' the young woman asked in an agitated voice so that Mrs Tennant looked but could not see her expression, standing as she was against the light.

'Why yes,' Mrs Tennant said, 'because that ring must have been somewhere to have been found.'