He was a slight, fair, dandyish young man, with a jaunty moustache. If any of us women. Rose. Flo, myself. Miss Powell were carrying something on the stairs, we could not take two steps before we found him beside us: A pleasure, he would say, assisting us on our way. His wife carried all her own burdens. She got up at seven every day, washed and dressed and fed the child, and took it to the council nursery school. She came back at lunchtime to cook her husband his meal. She finally collected the little girl at six, having spent her day cooking in a nearby café. Her evenings she spent cleaning and cooking.
At nine in the morning, Ronnie Skeffington, smelling of shaving soap and hair lotion, would emerge from the bathroom in a silk dressing-gown, and proceed upstairs with the newspapers. His breakfast had been cooked for him and was waiting in the oven. At ten he went off to work, and came back at one, expecting to find his lunch ready. He usually did not come home until late at night.
Say what you like, said Flo, that Ronnie, that Miss Powell, they give the house class. Imagine now, if you was to open the door and there was Mr Skeffington, all polite and brushed, youd think this house has got nice flats in it, now wouldnt you?
Dont start putting up the rents yet, said Rose, dryly, after one such flight.
Rents. I didnt say nothing about rents, dear.
No, Im just telling you not to start.
There were two rooms beneath mine and Roses. An old couple lived there. I never heard them. I never saw them. When I asked Rose about them, her face would put on the sorrowful guilty look which meant that over this matter her loyalty was to Flo. She would say: Dont worry about them. Theres nothing to tell. When I asked Flo, she said: Theyre filthy old beasts, but they dont worry you, do they?
About a week after I moved down beside Rose, Flo came in to ask me down to supper that night. I thanked her. She lingered, looking hurt, Dont you want to come, darling? But of course I do. Id love to. She embraced me, saying: There, I knew you would. I told Dan.
My trouble with Flo was that she was uneasy unless she got exaggerated reactions of delight, complaint, or shock to her own dramatized emotions. If I did not at first react suitably, she would prod me until I did. There! Youre laughing, she would say, in relief, Thats right. Laugh. Or, hopefully; Arent you shocked? Of course you are. I knew you would be.
Rose said: Its no use your being all English with Flo. It gets her all upset.
As for Rose, she could communicate a saga of sorrow with a slight droop of her mouth; the climax to a tale about her stepfather would be indicated by the folding together, in resignation, of her two small hands in her lap, not a word spoken. Her single syllable, Yes? could silence anyone in the house.
Rose made Flo uneasy, too. When she wanted to punish Flo she would sit, impassive, listening, refusing to register emotion, offering me the faintest of malicious smiles, until Flo said: Ah, my Lord, youre cross with me. Why are you cross with your Flo?
I knew that the invitation to supper meant more than I understood. I had to come to know that a complicated ritual governed what went on in the house. I did not at first think about it, out of an emotion which I now realize was a middle-class hypocrisy about the value of money, the value of time. But Rose made it impossible for me not to think.
About the supper invitation she said: I thought she would. She feels bad about getting too much for your rooms. She was expecting you to make her clean your rooms.
I asked her to.
She doesnt like housework.
Who does? But she came up and gave me a lesson about dusting and cleaning and ironing.
Id like to have seen it, said Rose. What was your mother thinking of, sending you out into the world so ignorant?
Thats what Flo said, too.
Yes. Well, now she thinks shell make up by inviting you to eat sometimes. And, believe you me, its better that way, because shes a cook better than anyone, even my mother. But just before we prepared ourselves to go down to supper, she became uneasy, and said: You mustnt mind Flo when she gets dirty-mouthed. Just laugh to please her and take no notice.
On weekdays, the family did not eat together until the men came in from work, about six. This meal was called tea. No one went to bed until late, after midnight. At about eleven was another meal, called supper. At both Flo served a rich variety of foods. There was always a basis of salads, cake, different kinds of bread and cheeses and fruit. Flo always cooked a different, fresh main dish for both meals. It might be spaghetti, some kind of meat, a pie, or chicken. The late meal, just before everyone went to bed, was the one they most enjoyed and lingered over. Besides, it was by tradition what Flo called a dirt session.
On that evening when Rose and I went downstairs, the men were already waiting to be served at the table. They wore, as always after work, clean white singlets. The basement was always steaming hot from the stove and from the electric fire which was never turned off. Flo was making a cauldron of spaghetti which filled the steamy air full of the odours of garlic and olive oil and meat and cheese. We sat around the table, sprawling, our elbows resting, white Flo heaped our plates. Aurora, who never went to bed before her parents, was sitting on Dans lap. She had on a white tight nightgown, over which her black curls, Flos pride, cascaded to her waist. She had her arm around Dans thick neck, and was sucking her thumb. Although there were blue bruises of fatigue beneath her eyes, she continued to observe everything that went on, sleepily blinking, and nodding off, then forcing herself awake. Her smile seemed as full of sharp knowledgeable enjoyments as Flos.
Dans attitude to me was the same as his to Rose: he watched us appreciatively, savouring our possibilities, but with caution. Flo kept a sharp eye on his every glance.
She served herself last, and sat down, sighing, saying: After all that gammon I ate before I havent room for a bite. We all ate enormously and praised Flos art from time to time, which she took as her due with a modest and satisfied smile, Dan chewed in ferocious mouthfuls, his white teeth glistening through the sauce, strands hanging from the corners of his lips. From time to time he pushed a spoonful into Auroras mouth, but she always made a face, chewed once or twice, and sat with the food, unswallowed, in her mouth.
That kids too sleepy to eat, Rose said.
Its no good putting her to sleep until we go, said Flo. Shell just scream and scream.
She needs a good spanking, said Rose. There was always a touch of sullenness in her voice when she mentioned Aurora. She disapproved of how she was brought up.
That kids too sleepy to eat, Rose said.
Its no good putting her to sleep until we go, said Flo. Shell just scream and scream.
She needs a good spanking, said Rose. There was always a touch of sullenness in her voice when she mentioned Aurora. She disapproved of how she was brought up.
But I spank her, I do, said Flo eagerly, with a warm loving smile at Aurora, to which the child responded, like an accomplice.
When we could eat not another mouthful of spaghetti, or salad or cake, Flo took away the plates, and sat down again, her eyes bright and black, looking for an opening.
Look at your belly, she said suddenly to Rose, who had loosened her waist-band.
Rose gave me a glance which said: This was what I meant, dont lake any notice. She said to Flo, with careful unconcern: What of it, after all that food?
You look seven months. Doesnt she. Jack? Doesnt she, Dan?
Dan grinned; Jacks smile was eager and timid. Flo drew our attention to Jack, and said: Look at him. Hed like to have a little bit with Rose. Jack blushed and looked eagerly, in spite of himself, at Rose. Who said good-naturedly: Who, me? I dont want a little boy in my bed.
Hes got to learn sometime, Flo said.
Yes? said Rose. Then why pick on me? Ive got to learn, too.
Thats what I keep telling you, Flo said. How old are you now? And as innocent as a baby.
Shes twenty-three, said Dan to me, nodding and winking.
You shut up, said Rose to him, youre as old as you feel.
Its time you did fee!, said Flo. I keep telling you, Dans brother is like Dan, he likes a woman who knows a thing.
Rose, who was suffering because of the long quarrel, which I still knew nothing about, with Dickie, Dans brother, looked annoyed and put a stop to this hare Then if Dickie wants it, regardless, he can pay for it.
Jack sniggered. He sat listening, shocked, delighted, suffering, turning his eyes from one to another. Against the open, savage sensuality of Dan and Flo, and the heavy immobile good-nature Rose put on for these occasions, he looked defenceless and pathetic.
Yes. And he will, too, if he can get better. Suddenly she screamed at Dan: Go on, Dan, tell her. Tell Rose about that dirty French girl. Tell what she did to you, the dirty beast.
Dan smiled, and sat silent. Flo, aroused and angry, yet delighted: screamed again: Well, tell her, go on.
I dont want to hear, said Rose primly, who had heard it often before.
Oh, yes you do. And you do too, dont you, darling? This to me, in a hasty aside. Go on, Dan.
Dan began. At first he kept his eyes on Rose, who sighed continuously with prepared digust. But soon he turned his glistening yellow gaze at his wife, who glanced back at him, terrified and squealing with delight.
And now you two had better go to bed, commented Rose, heavily, when the story was over.
What for, darling, were not sleepy, are we. Dan? Flo said, very innocent, catching our eyes one after another around the table.
Dan remained, heavily sitting and smiling and watching his wife, while Aurora sat smiling sleepily in his arms.
For Gods sake, put Aurora to bed, said Rose, disgusted. Put her to sleep at least.
Flo said: Yes. Poor little girl, shes sleepy. She whisked Aurora out of her fathers arms. Aurora let out a single howl of routine protest, and let her head fall on her mothers shoulder.
Yes, shes sleepy all right, said Flo, looking down at the child with a sort of malicious satisfaction. She took Aurora next door, while Rose grimaced at me, the corners of her mouth turned down, her eyebrows raised. Dan, now Flo was gone, was openly inciting both of us, grinning at us, his yellow eyes flaring.
Flo came back and saw him. Ah, my Lord, she said sighing, its a crime for a man like him to be wasted on one woman.
Lend him to me tonight, said Rose, smiling and full of mischief at Dan.
Yes, said Dan. Listen to you. And what would I get if I even so much as touched Rose?
You try it and see, said Flo, giggling. She yawned, dramatically, and said: Oh. Im ever so sleepy. And theres all that washing-up.
Ill do it, said Rose.
Then Ill just pop off into bed, said Flo, lingering in the bedroom door, her eyes on Dan. She went in and shut the door, while Dan sat a moment, smiling in appreciation. Jack was breathing heavily, looking at his stepfather with resentment, with wonder, with admiration, with hate. After a moment Dan rose and said to Jack: You turn off the lights. Dont forget now. He followed his wife into the bedroom, loosening his belt.