Edwin said to himself: "Is it possible that he has come down specially
to see this Hilda?" He thought enviously of Charlie as a free bird of
the air.
"What's she like?" Edwin inquired.
"You come up and see," Charlie retorted.
"Not to-night," said the fawn, in spite of Edwin.
"You come to-night, or I perish in the attempt," said Charlie, in his
natural voice. This phrase from their school-days made them both laugh
again. They were now apparently as intimate as ever they had been.
"All right," said Edwin. "I'll come."
"Sure?"
"Yes."
"Come for a sort of supper at eight."
"Oh!" Edwin drew back. "Supper? I didn't--Suppose I come after supper
for a bit?"
"Suppose you don't!" Charlie snorted, sticking his chin out. "I'm off
now. Must."
They stood a moment together at the door of the shop, in the declining
warmth of the summer afternoon, mutually satisfied.
"So-long!"
"So-long!"
The Sunday elegantly departed. Edwin had given his word, and he felt as
he might have felt had surgeons just tied him to the operating-table.
Nevertheless he was not ill-pleased with his own demeanour in front of
Charlie. And he liked Charlie as much as ever. He should rely on
Charlie as a support during this adventure into the worldly regions
peopled by fine girls. He pictured this Hilda as being more romantic
and strange than Janet Orgreave; he pictured her as mysteriously
superior. And he was afraid of his own image of her.
At tea in the dismantled sitting-room, though he was going out to
supper, he ate quite as much tea as usual, from sheer poltroonery. He
said as casually as he could--
"By the way, Charlie Orgreave called this afternoon."
"Did he?" said Maggie.
"He's off back to London to-morrow. He would have me slip up there
to-night to see him."
"And shall you?"
"I think so," said Edwin, with an appearance of indecision. "I may as
well."
It was the first time that there had ever been question of him visiting
a private house, except his aunt's, at night. To him the moment marked
an epoch, the inception of freedom; but the phlegmatic Maggie showed no
sign of excitement--("Clara would have gone into a fit!" he reflected)--
and his father only asked a casual question about Charlie.