Ruby was brown and monumental and self-absorbed, not even showing the little signs of pleasure, like tiny droplets glistening upon a rock, which she usually exhibited when Pearl was present. Ruby was totally fascinated by her new relationship with Alex. At least Ruby’s side of it was new. Alex did not really know. Ruby had not yet moved. Ruby was actually far more alarmed by her new state of mind than her employer was. Some old unquestioned thing had quietly gone out of her life. Was it good that it had gone? Ruby sensed her power and was appalled by it. It was almost as if she could, if she wished, destroy Alex. Did she want to? No. But the pension, that meant independence, equality. Equality? She had only to stretch out her hand and decree it. She had only to go and sit in the drawing-room with Alex and say, we must eat together henceforth, we are two old women living together from now on. Could she do that? Ruby could picture doing it, but could not picture what might follow. It did not occur to her that Alex might tell her to go. The idea of being ‘dismissed’ did not exist for Ruby. How could it? She had brushed Alex’s hair when Alex was sixteen.
‘How’s the little madam?’ said Diane.
‘All right. I haven’t seen her lately.’
‘Aren’t you paid to keep an eye on her?’
‘No.’
‘Don’t you call at the school?’
‘She doesn’t like it.’
‘Why, is she ashamed of you?’
‘No.’
‘Off to USA soon, I suppose?’
‘Yes.’
‘Don’t do it,’ said Ruby suddenly.
‘Do what?’
‘Be like me.’
‘It’s not like that,’ said Pearl, ‘I’m not her— ’ She could not find the word.
‘Who’s that girl?’ said Emmanuel Scarlett-Taylor.
‘My brother’s mistress.’
‘Good heavens.’
‘Which girl do you mean? The girl in the tweed coat is George’s mistress. The big old brown thing is my mother’s servant. I don’t know who the girl in trousers is.’
‘Servant,’ murmured Emma. ‘What a strange old-fashioned word.’
Tom was garbed for swimming, his wig of long curly hair still dry. Emma was dressed, complete with coat and waistcoat and high collar and bow tie and watch chain.
‘Why don’t you talk to her?’
‘Which?’
‘Either.’
‘I can’t talk to the mistress, so I can’t talk to the servant.’
‘Why not? You smiled at the mistress.’
‘Yes, but she didn’t smile back.’
‘So I saw. Why?’
‘Why what?’
‘Why these prohibitions?’
‘Because of George.’
‘George is a reason?’
‘Yes.’
‘Is George here?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘I want to meet him.’
‘I don’t advise it.’
‘You seem to live under a reign of terror. What’s that?’
‘What?’
‘That thing with the railing round it.’
‘That’s the Little Teaser.’
‘The what?’
‘That’s what we call it. Lud’s Rill. It’s a hot spring. It jumps up a little. It’s very hot.’
‘I don’t think much of it. Where’s the real hot spring?’
‘You can’t see it. It’s somewhere down below.’
‘Have you seen it?’
‘No.’
‘Who’s that girl?’
‘Anthea Eastcote.’
‘She didn’t smile either. You smiled at her.’
‘She didn’t see me.’
‘She did. She cut you.’
‘Oh never mind. Perhaps she wants to make me jealous.’
‘You’re upset.’
‘I’m not!’
‘The trouble with you is you want everybody to love you.’
‘Stop nagging, Emma.’
‘All right, I won’t say another word.’
‘And don’t sulk either.’
‘Who’s the chap with her?’
‘Hector Gaines. He’s a historian. You’d like him.’
‘Introduce me.’
‘Not now.’
‘You drag me here and you won’t introduce me to anyone.’
‘There’s Alex!’
‘Where?’
‘There.’
‘You mean the girl in the green costume who’s kicking up the water and twirling round and round like a corkscrew?’
‘Yes. She likes doing that.’
‘She reminds me of something I saw once in a pool in the west of Ireland.’
‘Well, I’m going swimming now. Be good.’
Tom dived in and swam toward Alex. Like Adam, he felt easier with her in the water. She had stopped her whirligig and waved to him. Tom passed her, touching her wet smooth shoulder, squeezing it slightly. She put her hand to his head, tugging the wet curls. He passed on with a lighter heart. It was true that he wanted everyone to love him, everyone.
Alex looked after him. She was well aware that Tom’s not staying was an important gesture, a declaration of independence. On the other hand she knew that Tom wished to have it both ways, to stand away and yet to be absolutely wanted. He had come to see her yesterday. She had not play-acted preoccupation, distraction. She had been really unable to attend to him and to fuss over him as she usually did. He had found her in the Slipper House with Ruby, cleaning, moving furniture, installing new things which she had ordered. Tom and Ruby carried some of the heavier objects up the stairs. Alex did not explain these changes to Tom. She had not explained them to Ruby. Robin Osmore had written to Rozanov with details of the let. Alex felt uneasy, happy. Life was, again, vivid and unpredictable at last.
‘Don’t drip all over me.’
‘Sorry, Emma.’
‘I want to meet George.’
‘He isn’t here!’
‘Isn’t that your other brother coming, with the boy?’
‘Hello, Brian. You remember Scarlett-Taylor.’
‘Hello. I hear you went to see Alex yesterday.’
‘How did you know?’
‘Gabriel telephoned. We’ve stopped seeing her.’
‘Really?’
‘A wishful thought.’
‘Do you know Alex’s latest? She wants to keep bees!’
‘She must be stopped at all costs.’
‘How’s dog, papillon?’ said Emma to Adam.
‘Zed’s fine,’ said Adam, with distant but friendly dignity.
‘Isn’t he here?’
‘He’s not allowed. I want him to swim. He swims well. He loves it.’
‘Are we going to the sea?’ said Tom to Brian.
‘The family seaside jaunt is on, I believe, come the summer.’
‘Staying in a hotel?’
‘No, just the day.’
‘Not near Maryville, I couldn’t bear it.’
‘There’s the moon,’ said Adam to Emma. And there indeed it was, quite full and as pale as a cream cheese in the brilliant blue sky.
‘Why doesn’t it shine?’
‘The sun doesn’t let it.’
‘Have you got a dog?’
‘No,’ said Emma. Then something caught him in the throat. He had had a dog when he was Adam’s age, a darling spaniel with a spotty nose. It had been run over and killed before his eyes. He said, ‘I did have one - once — ’
Adam understood and looked away.
‘Look out,’ said Tom, ‘Percy Bowcock with Mrs Osmore.’
‘Too late, hello, Percy. Good morning, Mrs Osmore.’
‘May I introduce my friend, Emmanuel Scarlett-Taylor? Mr Bowcock, Mrs Osmore.’
Percy (a rich Bowcock, Gabriel’s cousin) said to Brian, ‘Do you think Professor Rozanov could be persuaded to give a lecture in the Ennistone Hall?’
‘How should I know, I’m not in charge of the old fool,’ said Brian. Brian’s rudeness sometimes made people say that he was simply George by other means, but that was only a façon de parler.
Tom said to Adam, ‘Give me an idea for a pop song.’
‘Why?’
‘Because Scarlett-Taylor and I are going to write a pop song and make our fortunes.’