‘Hello! You’re the chap who put Ben Chenkin back to work, aren’t you?’
Andrew stopped, his gaze lifting warily, his expression saying: ‘What of it? I didn’t do it for you.’ Though he answered civilly enough he told himself he was not prepared to be patronised even by the son of Edwin Vaughan. The Vaughans were the virtual owners of the Aberalaw Company, they drew all the royalties from the adjacent pits, were rich, exclusive, unapproachable. Now that old Edwin had retired to an estate near Brecon, Richard, the only son, had taken over the managing directorship of the Company. Recently married, he had built himself a large modern house overlooking the town.
Now, considering Andrew and tugging at his spare moustache, he said:
‘I’d have enjoyed seeing old Ben’s face.’
‘I didn’t find it particularly amusing.’
Vaughan’s lips twitched behind his hand at the stiff Scots pride. He said easily:
‘You’re by way of being our nearest neighbours. My missus – she’s been away in Switzerland these last weeks – will be calling on yours, now that you’re settled in.’
‘Thanks!’ Andrew said curtly, walking on.
At tea that night he related the incident sardonically to Christine:
‘What was the idea? Tell me that! I’ve seen him pass Llewellyn in the street and barely throw him a nod. Perhaps he thought he’d mug me into sending a few more men back to work at his dashed mines!’
‘Now, don’t, Andrew,’ Christine protested. ‘That’s one thing about you! You’re suspicious, frightfully suspicious of people.’
‘Think I would be suspicious of him. Stuck up blighter, rolling in money, old school tie under his ugly phiz – My missus – been yodelling on the Alps while you pigged it on Mardy Hill – will be calling on yours! Huh! I can see her looking near us, darling! And if she does,’ he was suddenly fierce, ‘take jolly good care you don’t let her patronise you.’
Chris answered – more shortly than he had ever heard her in all the tenderness of those first months:
‘I think I know how to behave.’
Despite Andrew’s premonitions Mrs Vaughan did call upon Christine and remained, apparently, much longer than the