Page 318 - sons-and-lovers

replied Annie.
‘He should, shouldn’t he!’ cried Beatrice.
‘I s’d think he’d got plenty on hand,’ said Leonard.
‘You had a nasty walk, didn’t you, Miriam?’ said Annie.
‘Yes—but I’d been in all week—-‘
‘And you wanted a bit of a change, like,’ insinuated Leon-
ard kindly.
‘Well, you can’t be stuck in the house for ever,’ Annie
agreed. She was quite amiable. Beatrice pulled on her coat,
and went out with Leonard and Annie. She would meet her
own boy.
‘Don’t forget that bread, our Paul,’ cried Annie. ‘Good-
night, Miriam. I don’t think it will rain.’
When they had all gone, Paul fetched the swathed loaf,
unwrapped it, and surveyed it sadly.
‘It’s a mess!’ he said.
‘But,’ answered Miriam impatiently, ‘what is it, after
all—twopence, ha’penny.’
‘Yes, but—it’s the mater’s precious baking, and she’ll take
it to heart. However, it’s no good bothering.’
He took the loaf back into the scullery. There was a lit-
tle distance between him and Miriam. He stood balanced
opposite her for some moments considering, thinking of
his behaviour with Beatrice. He felt guilty inside himself,
and yet glad. For some inscrutable reason it served Miriam
right. He was not going to repent. She wondered what he
was thinking of as he stood suspended. His thick hair was
tumbled over his forehead. Why might she not push it back
for him, and remove the marks of Beatrice’s comb? Why

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