Henry Green: Loving

'It's priest-ridden love,' he replied.

'But Mrs Tennant's got no right to stop someones, not if we give her a month's wages.'

'A month's wages my eye. That's a fine way to start bein' married, to throw good money down the drain.'

'All right then Charley. You know best I expect.'

'No,' he went on, 'it's on account of that ring. She's got her suspicions you see love. She let Albert find his way but with us she'd raise holy Cain, making out I was carryin' you off.'

'But that's what you are doin' surely dear,' Edith announced. She settled deeper in his arms.

'It's you cartin' me off body and soul more likely,' he answered. He fastened on to her mouth. His face was very white and green and grey.

When he lifted his lips from hers he asked, 'Then you will to-morrow, without a word said to anyone?'

'I expect so,' she replied.

'You don't sound very certain,' he remarked.

'Oh I will, I will,' she cried very loud and wildly kissed him.

'You could tell Kate if you wished,' he said when he had a chance.

'I'll not say a word to a soul,' she promised.

At this he began to flush. The colour spread until his face had become an alarming ugly purple.

'Why I do declare you're blushin',' she cried delightedly. 'You who never have.' Then as he leant himself back, obviously stretched and tested by what he experienced, she said nervous again.

'What's up with you? You're not goin' sick on me are you?'

'I'll be O. K.,' he said faint.

'Not just when we've got this great journey?' she added.

'It was only that I feared you'd never consent,' he explained in a weak voice, with closed eyes. 'If I know anything it's that they'll keep us here one way or the other if we let a word out. Oh sweet'eart darlin' I'd hardly liked to think you'd see it my way.' He closed his eyes. An arm was limp over her shoulders. 'We'll go straight to Peterboro' where my mum'll have a bed for you. Arthur Sanders the sergeant of police I was at school with will put me up at his place till we can have the ceremony. And we must find us a room for a start.'

'Yes,' she said. She kissed the inside of his hand.

'Why look who's here,' she exclaimed. He opened his eyes and found Badger wagging his tail so hard that he was screwed right round into a crescent. The dog seemed deeply ashamed of something.

'You go on out of it,' Raunce ordered. This no place for you when you're only after one of those pigeon to knock off.' The hound left, looking back twice as he went. And once he turned to stand with pricked ears, with a wild yearning look of grief.

'That dog's more trouble than he's worth,' Raunce muttered. He let his eyelids shut down over his eyes. 'He'd never catch a mouse! that had lost all its legs not now he wouldn't,' he added in a voice of I deep content.

'Well this is a fine elopement,' she remarked amused. 'I didn't j gamble on you going to sleep on me I must say.'

'It's me dyspepsia,' he excused himself from behind shut eyes. That's a condition don't let up on you however you're placed.'

'You rest yourself dearest,' she answered then murmured happily to herself that in another minute she would have forgotten what they had come out for.

Accordingly she picked up the bag of scraps. She began to feed the peacocks. They came forward until they had her surrounded. Then a company of doves flew down on the seat to be fed. They settled all over her. And their fluttering disturbed Raunce who reopened his eyes. What he saw then he watched so that it could be: guessed that he was in pain with his great delight. For what with the peacocks bowing at her purple skirts, the white doves nodding on her shoulders round her brilliant cheeks and her great eyes that blinked tears of happiness, it made a picture.

'Edie,' he appealed soft, probably not daring to move or speak too sharp for fear he might disturb it all. Yet he used exactly that tone Mr Eldon had employed at the last when calling his Ellen. 'Edie,' he moaned.

The next day Raunce and Edith left without a word of warning. Over in England they were married and lived happily ever after.