He began to put on his boots.She stared at him.
'Wait!'she faltered.'Wait!What's come between us?'
He was bent over,lacing his boot,and did not reply.The moments passed.
A dimness came over her,like a swoon.All her consciousness died,and she stood there wide-eyed,looking at him from the unknown,knowing nothing any more.
He looked up,because of the silence,and saw her wide-eyed and lost.
And as if a wind tossed him he got up and hobbled over to her,one shoe off and one shoe on,and took her in his arms,pressing her against his body,which somehow felt hurt right through.And there he held her,and there she remained.
Till his hands reached blindly down and felt for her,and felt under the clothing to where she was smooth and warm.
'Ma lass!'he murmured.'Ma little lass!Dunna let's light!Dunna let's niver light!I love thee an'th'touch on thee.Dunna argue wi'me!Dunna!
Dunna!Dunna!Let's be together.'
She lifted her face and looked at him.
'Don't be upset,'she said steadily.'It's no good being upset.Do you really want to be together with me?'
She looked with wide,steady eyes into his face.He stopped,and went suddenly still,turning his face aside.All his body went perfectly still,but did not withdraw.
Then he lifted his head and looked into her eyes,with his odd,faintly mocking grin,saying:'Ay-ay!Let's be together on oath.'
'But really?'she said,her eyes filling with tears.'Ay really!Heart an'belly an'cock.'
He still smiled faintly down at her,with the flicker of irony in his eyes,and a touch of bitterness.
She was silently weeping,and he lay with her and went into her there on the hearthrug,and so they gained a measure of equanimity.And then they went quickly to bed,for it was growing chill,and they had tired each other out.And she nestled up to him,feeling small and enfolded,and they both went to sleep at once,fast in one sleep.And so they lay and never moved,till the sun rose over the wood and day was beginning.
Then he woke up and looked at the light.The curtains were drawn.He listened to the loud wild calling of blackbirds and thrushes in the wood.
It would be a brilliant morning,about half past five,his hour for rising.
He had slept so fast!It was such a new day!The woman was still curled asleep and tender.His hand moved on her,and she opened her blue wondering eyes,smiling unconsciously into his face.
'Are you awake?'she said to him.
He was looking into her eyes.He smiled,and kissed her.And suddenly she roused and sat up.
'Fancy that I am here!'she said.
She looked round the whitewashed little bedroom with its sloping ceiling and gable window where the white curtains were closed.The room was bare save for a little yellow-painted chest of drawers,and a chair:and the smallish white bed in which she lay with him.
'Fancy that we are here!'she said,looking down at him.He was lying watching her,stroking her breasts with his fingers,under the thin nightdress.
When he was warm and smoothed out,he looked young and handsome.His eyes could look so warm.And she was fresh and young like a flower.
'I want to take this off!'she said,gathering the thin batiste nightdress and pulling it over her head.She sat there with bare shoulders and longish breasts faintly golden.He loved to make her breasts swing softly,like bells.
'You must take off your pyjamas too,'she said.
'Eh,nay!'
'Yes!Yes!'she commanded.
And he took off his old cotton pyjama-jacket,and pushed down the trousers.
Save for his hands and wrists and face and neck he was white as milk,with fine slender muscular flesh.To Connie he was suddenly piercingly beautiful again,as when she had seen him that afternoon washing himself.
Gold of sunshine touched the closed white curtain.She felt it wanted to come in.
'Oh,do let's draw the curtains!The birds are singing so!Do let the sun in,'she said.
He slipped out of bed with his back to her,naked and white and thin,and went to the window,stooping a little,drawing the curtains and looking out for a moment.The back was white and fine,the small buttocks beautiful with an exquisite,delicate manliness,the back of the neck ruddy and delicate and yet strong.
There was an inward,not an outward strength in the delicate fine body.
'But you are beautiful!'she said.'So pure and fine!Come!'She held her arms out.
He was ashamed to turn to her,because of his aroused nakedness.
He caught his shirt off the floor,and held it to him,coming to her.
'No!'she said still holding out her beautiful slim arms from her dropping breasts.'Let me see you!'
He dropped the shirt and stood still looking towards her.The sun through the low window sent in a beam that lit up his thighs and slim belly and the erect phallos rising darkish and hot-looking from the little cloud of vivid gold-red hair.She was startled and afraid.
'How strange!'she said slowly.'How strange he stands there!So big!
and so dark and cock-sure!Is he like that?'
The man looked down the front of his slender white body,and laughed.
Between the slim breasts the hair was dark,almost black.But at the root of the belly,where the phallos rose thick and arching,it was gold-red,vivid in a little cloud.
'So proud!'she murmured,uneasy.'And so lordly!Now I know why men are so overbearing!But he's lovely,really .Like another being!
A bit terrifying!But lovely really!And he comes to me !--'She caught her lower lip between her teeth,in fear and excitement.
The man looked down in silence at the tense phallos,that did not change.--'Ay!'
he said at last,in a little voice.'Ay ma lad!tha're theer right enough.
Yi,tha mun rear thy head!Theer on thy own,eh?an'ta'es no count O'
nob'dy!Tha ma'es nowt O'me,John Thomas.Art boss?of me?Eh well,tha're more cocky than me,an'tha says less.John Thomas!Dost want her ?
Dost want my lady Jane?Tha's dipped me in again,tha hast.Ay,an'tha comes up smilin'.--Ax 'er then!Ax lady Jane!Say:Lift up your heads,O ye gates,that the king of glory may come in.Ay,th'cheek on thee!