‘Well, to-morrow you’ll be among Georgians, anyway.’
‘Yes,’ said Soames. ‘There’s a graveyard there, they say. And that reminds me – I’ve bought that corner bit in the churchyard down at home. It’ll do for me as well as any other. Your mother will want to go to France to be buried, I expect.’
‘Give Mr Forsyte some sherry, Coaker.’
Soames took a long sniff.
‘This is some of your grandfather’s. He lived to be ninety.’
If she and Jon lived to be ninety – would nobody still know?… She left him at ten o’clock, brushing his nose with her lips.
‘I’m tired, Dad; and you’ll have a long day tomorrow. Goodnight, dear!’
Thank God he would be among the Georgians tomorrow!
Chapter Eight
FORBIDDEN FRUIT
HALTING the car suddenly in the by-road between Gage’s farm and the Robin Hill coppice, Fleur said: ‘Jon, dear, I’ve got a whim. Let’s get out and go in there. The potentate’s in Scotland.’ He did not move and she added: ‘I shan’t see you again for a long time, now your picture’s finished.’
Jon got out, then, and she unlatched the footpath gate. They stood a minute within, listening for sounds of anyone to interrupt their trespass. The fine September afternoon was dying fast. The last ‘sitting’ had been long, and it was late; and in the coppice of larch and birch the dusk was deepening. Fleur slid her hand within his arm.
‘Listen! Still, isn’t it? I feel as if we were back seven years, Jon. Do you wish we were? Babes in the wood once more?’
Gruffly he answered:
‘No good looking back – things happen as they must.’
‘The birds are going to bed. Used there to be owls?’
‘Yes; we shall hear one soon, I expect.’
‘How good it smells!’
‘Trees and the cow-houses!’
‘Vanilla and hay, as the poets have it. Are they close?’
‘Yes.’
‘Don’t let’s go farther, then.’
‘Here’s the old log,’ said Jon. ‘We might sit down, and listen for an owl.’
On the old log seat they sat down, side by side.
‘No dew,’ said Fleur. ‘The weather will break soon, I expect. I love the scent of drought.’
‘I love the smell of rain.’
‘You and I never love the same thing, Jon. And yet – we’ve loved each other.’ Against her arm it was as if he shivered.
‘There goes the old clock! It’s awfully late, Fleur! Listen! The owl!’
Startlingly close through the thin-branched trees the call came. Fleur rose. ‘Let’s see if we can find him.’
She moved back from the old log.
‘Aren’t you coming? Just a little wander, Jon.’
Jon got up and went along at her side among the larches.
‘Up this way – wasn’t it? How quickly it’s got dark. Look! The birches are still white. I love birch trees.’ She put her hand on a pale stem. ‘The smoothness, Jon. It’s like skin.’ And, leaning forward, she laid her cheek against the trunk. ‘There! feel my cheek, and then the bark. Could you tell the difference, except for warmth?’
Jon reached his hand up. She turned her lips and touched it.
‘Jon – kiss me just once.’
‘You know I couldn’t kiss you “just once”, Fleur.’
‘Then kiss me for ever, Jon.’
‘No, no! No, no!’
‘Things happen as they must – you said so.’
‘Fleur – don’t! I can’t stand it.’
She laughed – very low, softly.
‘I don’t want you to. I’ve waited seven years for this. No! Don’t cover your face! Look at me! I take it all on myself. The woman tempted you. But, Jon, you were always mine. There! That’s better. I can see your eyes. Poor Jon! Now kiss me!’ In that long kiss her very spirit seemed to leave her; she could not even see whether his eyes were open or, like hers, closed. And again the owl hooted.
Jon tore his lips away. He stood there in her arms, trembling like a startled horse.
With her lips against his ear, she whispered:
‘There’s nothing, Jon; there’s nothing.’ She could hear him holding-in his breath, and her warm lips whispered on: ‘Take me in your arms, Jon; take me!’ The light had failed completely now; stars were out between the dark feathering of the trees, and low down, from where the coppice sloped up towards the east, a creeping brightness seemed trembling towards them through the wood from the moon rising. A faint rustle broke the silence, ceased, broke it again. Closer, closer – Fleur pressed against him.