Lord Dismiss Us (23 page)

‘None of your business. Stand back!’ said Steele pushing through them in disgust.

‘It
is
our business,’ a small figure in black shouted after him. ‘We’ve got to clear!’

He had gone to the Head to report.

Chapter Sixteen

‘Oh gosh, I can’t believe it, somehow,’ said Carleton, squeezing Allen’s waist as he spoke; relishing his own intense happiness.

His darling was seated across his lap, with an arm around his shoulders, so that his dark eyes looked down, and looked bashfully away.

There was this one rickety chair in front of the upright. The room was so small that the door struck the piano if you opened it too far.

‘Are you happy?’ he whispered, delighting in knowing the answer.

‘Yes.’

Carleton felt both their happinesses; enjoyed both at once.

‘What have we been doing all term?’

‘I don’t know.’

They were very safe here, because they were the only two boys not willingly embroiled in the evening’s drama. (Except for Beauchamp. He had skipped Tea: his friends had returned him soon enough; but the Crab had struck him very hard six times. He was sulking and smarting in his dormitory).

‘What’s this ring?’

‘It’s a family crest. It was my brother’s.’

‘Oh. Sorry.’

‘It’s all right. . . .’

Carleton was thinking – ‘I wonder how you’d look older, if you were the dead brother. Did his black hair go up that way, in thick waves? Had he this complexion like sunburn? These eyes: shy, but wise, laughing . . . maybe mocking. No, he’d have been older and duller.’

‘What are you looking at?’

‘You,’ Carleton said.

They examined each other, and they both smiled.

‘Stinker.’

‘Why?’

‘I don’t know. . . . Yes, I do know. Where the dickens did you go to that night?’

‘There’s a way up past the Linen Room.’

‘Goodness, you seem to know everything.’

‘How do you mean?’

‘You’re supposed to be a New Boy. You seem to . . . know things. You make
me
feel. . . . Have you been in love before?’

‘No.’

‘Promise?’

‘Yes. . . . Have you?’

‘Never. Never.’

He looked down and stroked Allen’s slim, brownish hand. He felt sad suddenly, in a wonderful way.

‘I wonder what’ll happen?’

There’s nothing to wonder, Carleton thought, a little surprised by such a remark. We’re together for ever, that’s all.

‘How do you mean?’

‘Jimmy Rich.’

‘Oh. . . . Oh, I’m afraid he’ll be thrown out. He’s crazy. . . . Anyhow, how can you think about that?’

‘I can’t, really,’ Allen said; in the most marvellous, delicate, funny, silently happy way.

‘Oh, I do love you. I love you, my darling. Don’t be shy, look at me. Do you love me?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you swear?’

‘Yes.’

He leaned up and kissed Allen softly on his blushing cheek. He felt a new sweetness enter him. He felt he had become, instantly, a more tender person. He felt older, with a purpose; someone to look after, to cherish, and love, for always.

Ashley knocked and entered, and the great head at the desk turned. Two cupped hands went up over the ears, and there was a quiet, melancholy exclamation –

‘Oh Lord. Oh, spare me, Ashley, my dear fellow, I beg of you. . . . Not one of your Crusades, if you please! Not now.’

Ashley moved forward and stood over Rowles.

‘You’ve heard?’

The Doctor kept his head protected, with his eyes fixed on a sheaf of foolscap, covered with figures.

‘I’ve received a report of a kind. The Head of my House has unaccountably disappeared. . . . But I’ve heard enough.’

‘And what are you going to do about it?’

‘Nothing.’

‘What?!’

Rowles twisted his protected head, raising pale blue eyes to study Ashley.

‘Look here, Ashley, what in arsehole do you expect me to do? That idiot has cooked his own goose.’

‘On the contrary, it’s been cooked for him.’

‘Balls.’

Ashley walked to the hearth. There was a picture of the Old Man that he had never seen before. It was an affection they had shared. He glanced at Rowles, who was aware of his discovery without seeming to look.

‘This has been my worst day in this place. I’ve been incarcerated for the past six hours. Don’t press me, Ashley. I’ve no time for fools.’

‘Fools? These are the only two sane, normal people in the whole School.’

‘That’s their bad luck.’

‘There’s no room for the sane and ordinary here?’

‘There has never been much, I’m afraid.’

‘You amaze me, Rowles.’

‘You flatter me, Ashley.’

Rowles picked up a pencil and wrote off a series of numbers. He was not exactly terminating the meeting. Ashley felt faintly encouraged.

‘And what about the School? Your School?’

‘Ah what do you mean, man?’

‘Writs for slander and wrongful dismissal, and publicity in the national press.’

Rowles made a noise of amusement; very nearly a ‘Tee-hee!’ ‘And why would he bother and what hope would he have? A public oration to children, destructive of a lady’s character. Come off it, Ashley!’

‘That’s no lady. That’s the Headmaster’s wife.’

‘I see you recognise the element of farce in all this, as well as I do.’

‘Farce is only tragedy seen in a particular way.’

‘Tragedy?! Oh come, come, man.’

‘Some people must have work, you know. And some people may be just as fond of working here as
you
are.’

The Doctor was silent. Ashley felt he had scored.

‘You’re a very curious bird, you know, Ashley. . . . Has someone put you up to this?’

‘Matron has just been to see me in tears. But she didn’t need to put me up to it. Unfortunately, my popularity is such that I can do nothing on my own.’

‘And what the devil did they expect?’

‘Rich expected nothing. He thought it would clear the air. She tried to persuade him against it. He’s with the Headmaster now, to his surprise.’

‘Jumping Jehovah! And you say he’s not a fool?’

‘He’s an innocent. And he lost his head. He also
is
innocent. Assuming it matters a damn how people lead their own lives, do you believe the lady’s allegations, do you countenance her attitude, and her daughter’s employment?’

‘No. Nor do I countenance folly. People should grow up. . . . Look here, man, what do you imagine that I can possibly do?’

‘I’m going to the Head now. Come. I don’t say, support me. But come, and judge. You can’t go on hiding here, because the Old Man is dead. You’ve been hiding here all day – all term!’

It was a sudden thought and it was out before Ashley could stop it.

‘Damn your blasted impertinence, Ashley!’

The Doctor’s fervour took him by surprise.

‘I apologise. I really mean that without your participation this School is likely to become a monster.’

He listened to Rowles breathing.

‘You needn’t try to butter me up. . . . Listen here, what do these people mean to you?’

‘It’s not important. I’m merely concerned with injustice.’

‘Oh, come on, damn you,’ said the Doctor, rising. ‘But remember, I promise you no support of any kind.’

They went downstairs, through the Big Schoolroom, and across the Quad in the evening sunshine.

‘You’re a very odd bird, I’ll never make you out. Here, clear off the lot of you!’

An excited group of whisperers scattered before the Doctor’s approach.

‘We’re doing no harm, Sir.’

‘You’re an old woman, Metcalfe. Take your ladies somewhere else.’

‘Yes, Sir.’

They passed the famous trunk, and came into the rear of the Head’s hall.

A dense crowd, and uproar.

Pryde was there.

‘What the blazes is going on here?’

‘It’s a deputation, Sir. We’re going in to protest.’

Faces pressed forward out of the throng. There were piping cries.

‘It’s not fair, Sir!’

‘We’re for Mr Rich, Sir!’

‘He’s done nothing wrong, Sir!’

‘Silence!’

He protected his ears again.

‘You must have gone clean round the bend, Pryde. Where is Carleton?’

‘I don’t know, Sir.’

‘Where’s Steele?’

‘He’s in the Study. So is Mr Rich. I’m not the only Prefect, Sir. . . .’

‘So I see. Well, you can all. . . .’

There was a shocked silence. Jimmy Rich had broken out into the mob; distraught, dishevelled. His carefully waved hair had fallen down the sides of his face. It was horrible to them. He was elbowing everyone away. He was going straight to Ashley. He seized his arm.

‘He’s throwing me out! Me and Nancy! Now! The bastard’s throwing us out. He’s throwing us
out
!’

Some felt they ought to shout something. No one did. Dr Rowles said: ‘I want every one of you out of here within ten seconds. If it’s any gratification, you’re giving no help. You’re doing the reverse. Now hop it! Rich, you go to your room. We’ll see what we can do.’

They slouched away. A few hung round Jimmy Rich, but he did not seem to hear what they were saying.

Nicely timed, the tinny bell for Prep began to ring; calling them back to the curriculum.

Mrs Crabtree was standing before the mantelpiece; her hands joined, as ever, behind her back. She looked pale, but surprisingly calm in comparison with the scarlet figure behind the desk. Steele was seated in a chair, nodding in response to the Head’s directives. He was dazed: a military commander who has just suffered an unexpected defeat. Mr Crabtree paused and looked at the two arrivals, with consternation still on his face. The Doctor said, glancing at his wife – ‘I’m extremely sorry to hear of this occurrence.’

‘It seems I’ve been defamed in public, Dr Rowles,’ said Mrs Crabtree. ‘Mr Rich has delivered an unexpected dissertation on the facts of life. My request for an apology has just been dismissed. So has Mr Rich.’

‘Ah . . . yes, well, uh . . . it appears Mr Ashley here has views on this matter, and I undertook to accompany him. They’re not mine, I may say.’

‘I suggest you reconsider this decision, Sir. . . .’ Ashley began.

‘Silence!’ The Head struck his desk. ‘Ashley, I’ve warned you before. I will not have you meddling in my affairs. The decision is final. Nor is it the only one. We have at last made a start in bringing a sense of decency back to Weatherhill. I will be taking other decisions. After Weatherhill Day is over I intend to do a great deal more. In a way we are grateful for this outrage by Rich. The boys will appreciate the lesson.’

‘A crucifixion,’ said Ashley.

‘Ah, here, steady on, man,’ said Rowles.

‘I’d be obliged if you’d leave my study at once, Ashley,’ said the Head.

‘I’ll have to run,’ Allen whispered, looking up at Carleton, with his hand on the door-knob.

Carleton placed his cheek softly against Allen’s cheek, and closed his eyes. He had already said ‘don’t go’ twice; which was selfish; because being a Prefect he himself didn’t have to attend Prep. Their cheeks were burning.

‘O.K. When will we meet?’

‘I’ve an exeat tomorrow,’ said Allen.

‘So have I, dammit.’

‘After Chapel, then.’

‘Right. Where? I feel a bit trapped here.’

Allen was thinking. They had been whispering into each other’s ears. Carleton felt
he
should be nominating these places, but he could not think of anywhere.

‘There’s a corner round the buttress at the back of the Chapel. No one goes there.’

How the devil did Allen know that?

‘Isn’t it a bit close?’

He was stroking Allen’s hair over his ear.

‘That’s why,’ Allen said. ‘No one need see us walking anywhere. Just go round the back when the coast’s clear.’

How the deuce? Was it conceivable that Allen could have been through this already with someone else? No. He was just terrifically bright.

‘If anything’s wrong, put a note in my mack. My locker’s Number
9
. We must have a sign.’

Carleton moved away a little and looked at him. ‘How do you mean?’ he whispered. ‘How do you mean, darling?’

‘So we know one of us has left a note. When I see you I’ll put my right hand in my coat pocket, like this. And you do the same.’

‘Righto. I don’t know how you think of these things.’

Allen smiled.

‘It’s just common sense.’