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‘Yes, I know’ He glanced at Marjorie, who’d made a brief movement ‘Your husband toldsnapped It was her half-hooked garter, but the pop of it ht, fists clenched in the thin fabric of her skirt ‘Brave,’ she repeated ‘They’re all brave, aren’t they? Every single one Even you--or are you?’
She heard her asp, but went on anyway, reckless
‘You all have to be brave and noble and--and--perfect, don’t you? Because if you eak, if there were any cracks, if anyone looked like being not quite the thing, you knoell, it htn’t it? So none of you will, will you? Or if somebody did, the rest of you would cover it up You won’t ever not do so, no matter what it is, because you can’t not do it; all the other chaps would think the worse of you, wouldn’t they, and we can’t have that, oh, no, we can’t have that!’
Captain Randall was looking at her intently, his eyes dark with concern Probably thought she was a nutter--probably she was, but what did it , horribly es to--’
‘Youover the Captain,him look up at her ‘He told me He told me about you You caot him killed Oh, don’t trouble yourself, he didn’t tell me your bloody precious secrets--not hi with rage and had to stop to draw breath Roger, she saw di to the Captain’s leg; Randall put an arh to shelter him from his , and, to her horror, felt tears begin to course down her face
‘And now you co me …’
‘Marjie’ Her mother ca in her worn old pinny She thrust a tea towel into Marjorie’s hands, then hter and the eneht us this, Captain,’ Marjorie heard her saying, and felt herto pick up the little box Marjorie sat down blindly, pressing the tea towel to her face, hiding
‘Here, Roger, look See how it opens? See how pretty? It’s called--what did you say it was again, Captain? Oh, oakleaf cluster Yes, that’s right Can you say "er didn’t say anything Probably scared stiff, poor little chap She had to pull herself together But she’d gone too far She couldn’t stop
‘He cried when he left me’ She muttered the secret into the folds of the tea towel ‘He didn’t want to go’ Her shoulders heaved with a convulsive, unexpected sob, and she pressed the towel hard against her eyes, whispering to herself, ‘You said you’d come back, Jerry, you said you’d co fortress, while renewed offers of tea were ht Captain Randall would seize the chance of her retreat tocaler while herperfor up a quiet, companionable presence in the shabby rooave her the opportunity to drop her cloth façade, and she meekly accepted a slice of toast spread with a thin scrape of arine and a delectable spoonful of the strawberry ja on with approval ‘You’ll not have eaten anything since breakfast, I daresay Enough to give anyone the wambles’
Marjorie shot her mother a look, but in fact it was true; she hadn’t had any luncheon because Maisie was off with ‘fehly every other week--and she’d had to mind the shop all day
Conversation flowed co streaer relaxed with the introduction of jam He’d never tasted any before, and sniffed it curiously, took a cautious lick--and then took an enorreen eyes round onder and delight The little box, now open, sat on the piecrust table, but no one spoke of it or looked in that direction
After a decent interval, Captain Randall got up to go, giving Roger a shiny sixpence in parting Feeling it the least she could do, Marjorie got up to see his, and she kicked theed to the door She heard herthe door for him ‘I … appreciate--’
To her surprise, he stopped her, putting a hand on her arht to say this to you--but I will,’ he said, low-voiced ‘You’re right; they’re not all brave Most of them--of us--we’re just … there, and we do our best Most of the tihtly, though she couldn’t tell whether it was in humour or bitterness
‘But your husband--’ He closed his eyes for a moment and said, ‘The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before theo out totih,’ she said, her voice as low as his ‘You did’
His ss every day … for a long time’
The door closed quietly behind hi the draft co her bare feet It ell into the autuh it was just past teati tiht But they don’t call it brave when you don’t have a choice
Herto herself as she closed the curtains Or not so much to herself
‘He liked her Anyone could see that So kind, co the medal and all And how does she act? Like a cat that’s had its tail stepped on, all claws and caterwauling, that’s ho does she ever expect a man to--’