Page 69 - lady-chatterlys-lover

The keeper, waiting at attention to be dismissed, watched
everything narrowly, missing nothing. He went pale, with
a sort of fear, when he saw Connie lifting the inert legs of
the man in her arms, into the other chair, Clifford pivoting
round as she did so. He was frightened.
’Thanks, then, for the help, Mellors,’ said Clifford casu-
ally, as he began to wheel down the passage to the servants’
quarters.
’Nothing else, Sir?’ came the neutral voice, like one in a
dream.
’Nothing, good morning!’
’Good morning, Sir.’
’Good morning! it was kind of you to push the chair up
that hill...I hope it wasn’t heavy for you,’ said Connie, look-
ing back at the keeper outside the door.
His eyes came to hers in an instant, as if wakened up. He
was aware of her.
’Oh no, not heavy!’ he said quickly. Then his voice
dropped again into the broad sound of the vernacular:
‘Good mornin’ to your Ladyship!’
’Who is your game-keeper?’ Connie asked at lunch.
’Mellors! You saw him,’ said Clifford.
’Yes, but where did he come from?’
’Nowhere! He was a Tevershall boy...son of a collier, I be-
lieve.’
’And was he a collier himself?’
’Blacksmith on the pit-bank, I believe: overhead smith.
But he was keeper here for two years before the war...be-
fore he joined up. My father always had a good Opinion of

Lady Chatterly’s Lover