Page 510 - sons-and-lovers

‘Nay, nay, you needn’t! Come along in! I dunno what
you’ll think of the supper I’d got her.’
It was a little dish of chip potatoes and a piece of bacon.
The table was roughly laid for one.
‘You can have some more bacon,’ continued Mrs. Rad-
ford. ‘More chips you can’t have.’
‘It’s a shame to bother you,’ he said.
‘Oh, don’t you be apologetic! It doesn’t DO wi’ me! You
treated her to the theatre, didn’t you?’ There was a sarcasm
in the last question.
‘Well?’ laughed Paul uncomfortably.
‘Well, and what’s an inch of bacon! Take your coat off.’
The big, straight-standing woman was trying to estimate
the situation. She moved about the cupboard. Clara took his
coat. The room was very warm and cosy in the lamplight.
‘My sirs!’ exclaimed Mrs. Radford; ‘but you two’s a pair
of bright beauties, I must say! What’s all that get-up for?’
‘I believe we don’t know,’ he said, feeling a victim.
‘There isn’t room in THIS house for two such bobby-daz-
zlers, if you fly your kites THAT high!’ she rallied them. It
was a nasty thrust.
He in his dinner jacket, and Clara in her green dress and
bare arms, were confused. They felt they must shelter each
other in that little kitchen.
‘And look at THAT blossom! ‘ continued Mrs. Radford,
pointing to Clara. ‘What does she reckon she did it for?’
Paul looked at Clara. She was rosy; her neck was warm
with blushes. There was a moment of silence.
‘You like to see it, don’t you?’ he asked.

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