‘Yes?’
‘I never knew you were sorry for people,’ Thomas said.
‘Because I never shout, Minister. I keep quiet, and to myself, and I never shout. Fact.’
There was a light tap on the door, but Thomas did not hear it. Jones did, and got up and went out. The girl at the door gave him a note.
‘What is this?’ he asked.
And the girl said, ‘Miss Thomas left it with the station master, and he asked me to bring it along.’
‘Thank you,’ Jones said.
The girl said, ‘Welcome,’ and walked off down the path.
Jones held the note in his hand. ‘What is it?’
Thomas was slumped in the chair, his head turned to the wall.
‘Mr Thomas?’
It seemed an age to Jones before the Minister said with a dropped voice, ‘What is it, Jones?’
‘A note, Mr Thomas. A girl just brought it from the station. From your sister it is. Here,’ and he pushed it into the hand that was not clenched. He watched him slowly open it, then let it fall to the floor.
‘Read it.’
‘Read it, Mr Thomas.’
The head bowed, and Jones spread out the sheet of paper and slowly read its contents. ‘Dear Mervyn, unload your nonsense, and I will come back to you, and I will look after you as always. Margiad.’
‘Thank you,’ Thomas said.
Jones folded up the note and lay it on the table. ‘I must go,’ and he said to Thomas, ‘I must go now.’
‘Wait.’
Jones stood, waited.
‘Sit down, Jones.’
He sat.
Jones glanced at the clock, and thought it was time to go. Mrs Gandell was such a worrier about him being late.
‘Yes, Mr Thomas?’
‘You think I’m a fool,’ Thomas said.
‘I never said that.’
‘What didn’t you say?’
And Thomas was close again, his hands pressed hard on the Jones shoulders. ‘My sister said that Miss Vaughan laughs at me.’
‘She never laughs, Mr Thomas. Never heard her laugh once. Know why?’
‘Why, Jones?’
‘She laughs inside,’ Jones said, and essayed the faintest smile.
‘Inside?’
‘Not for the ear. She smiles twice a day,’ Jones said.
‘You’re not laughing, Jones?’
‘Course I’m not laughing.’
It came suddenly, conspiratorially into Jones’s ear.
‘I nearly spoke to her last Monday. I bumped into her just outside Blair’s office.’
‘You should have taken her upstairs,’ Jones said.
‘Taken her upstairs?’
‘Women like to be taken upstairs,’ Jones said. ‘Mrs Gandell does.’
