John Thomas & Lady Jane by Milligan Spike

Author:Milligan, Spike [Milligan, Spike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter XI

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CLIFFORD WANTED to go into the wood. He had to be helped from one wheelchair to another. His arms and shoulders were strong and he was very clever in swinging himself from one place to another. He once did it from England to France.

She was choking as he puffed away all round the house, filling every room with diesel fumes.

He was in rather high feather this bright May morning. The larks were singing over the park as Clifford blazed away at the pigeons and crows.

‘Listen,’ he said. ‘Wragby is the ship that sails on ahead in the voyage of discovery.’

‘What has she discovered?’ asked Constance.

‘Who first emerged into the open waters of liberty: Wragby! You’re quite right about it being beautiful,’ Clifford said. ‘It is amazingly beautiful. What is quite as lovely as an English spring!’ as he blazed away at rabbits. The brow of the hill was sheer blue, and virgin — the only one in the district.

Clifford had kept the chair going till he got to the top of the slope, for fear of getting stuck. Constance followed slowly behind, to be alone. The oak-buds had opened soft little brown hands. Everything was so tender and full of life. Why oh why need man be so tough, always tough and insentient, hard as iron, gripping the wrong things, and missing everything. Why could human life never be soft and tenderly coming unfolded into leaf and blossom? If men were leaves of grass, why was it never tender young green grass, new and soft with spring? Even with the oaks, with all their craggy hardness, that fought so many winters, even they took off their myriad gloves. Why couldn’t men be like that? What utter bollocks!

The chair began slowly to advance down the long slope, in the broad, noble riding, slowly sailing as down the slope of a wave. Clifford sat and steered, and when he had disappeared the keeper came striding with long strides down the hill. She heard his steps, and glanced round in fear. He gave a hasty half-salute.

‘I heard the chair-motor,’ he said, in a soft voice. ‘Shall ye’ come tonight?’

‘Tonight?’ she said, looking bewildered into his eyes.

‘Ay! Come tonight!’ His voice was low and infinitely caressive, and his eyes held her and had power over her.

‘Yes!’ she said faintly, quickly applying lipstick.

‘An’ I s’ll wait for you at th’ gate?’

‘Yes,’ she murmured, her knickers convulsed.

He put his fingers under her breast and softly pressed her breast in the cup of his hand. The filthy swine! Smiling into her eyes, his own eyes dilated to the point where he could hardly see.

‘I must go,’ she said.

‘Must you?’ he said. ‘We could have a quickie against a tree.’

At that moment they heard Clifford’s voice. ‘Coo-ee Coo-ee!’

‘Coo-ee,’ called Constance in reply.

‘I shan’t come unless he shouts for me — I s’ll be at th’ hut.’

She nodded, looking at him over her shoulder as she ran down the hill after Clifford, and stumbling over a rock. The

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