Read Online Everything Will Be All Right by Tessa Hadley - Free Book Online
Authors: Tessa Hadley
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promising blue and purple layers of hills; farther up the estuary, where the crossing was narrower, they could see the two ferries plying to and fro.
The skies were the only spectacular feature of the estuary scenery. Changeable and full of drama, they loomed domineeringly over the flatland and altered the color of the water hour by hour; this afternoon it was pale brown, like milky coffee. The girls, up to their mid-thighs in tepid water, watched a sudden jostling company of small angry clouds overhead; fat warm raindrops plopped down all around them. It seemed very funny, to be in their swimming costumes in the rain. Their costumes were new, they had chosen them yesterday in a department store in town: Helenaâs was a blue-and-white striped halter neck, Joyceâs was a strapless bloomer suit with a pattern of black-and-white birds against a dark pink background. Lil had given Joyce four pounds to spend out of the old tobacco jar where she kept her savings. The girls were in love with their new costumes and couldnât stop looking down at themselves and at each other. They didnât really want to submerge in the muddy water and spoil them.
Someone was calling them from the beach. They both looked round; it was Uncle Dick. His car was parked up behind the other one, and he stood on the shingle in his work uniform with his jacket over his arm and his sleeves rolled up. They couldnât hear what he was saying.
âWhat? they shouted back, knowing it was futile and he wouldnât be able to hear them either. They savored a few momentsâ delicious remoteness, lingering there inaccessible in the spatter of hot rain, feeling the impotence of the figure on the shore to reach them.
âWhat in hellâs name does he want? Joyce wondered languorously.
âThe legendary uncle, said Helena. Wonât there be outbreaks of lawlessness if heâs not at his post?
When he persisted and signaled furiously for them to return, they began reluctantly to wade back.
âDoes your mother know you two are down here cavorting around half naked? he shouted, as soon as they were in hearing distance.
âWe told her! Joyce shouted back.
âShe said we could cavort, said Helena placidly, covered by the noise of their rather exaggeratedly splashing through the shallows, in our new costumes.
âYouâre asking for trouble. You know what kind of spot this is.
âWhat kind of spot is it? Joyce did a perfect imitation of nonplused and wide-eyed.
âGet yourselves dried off, he said angrily, pointing to their towels. Iâll take you back in the car. Your mother and your aunt have no idea, letting you run around the place like hoydens. Anyway, itâs coming on to rain.
âHoydens? murmured Helena in delight. They rubbed their legs down, streaking the towels with mud.
âWhat do you think hoydens do? wondered Joyce.
âWhatever it is, I think we should try it. To begin with, they cavort.
âI love to cavort.
âSo do I.
They sat in the backseat of the car: Uncle Dick had spread out a towel, so that they wouldnât make wet marks on his upholstery. He lectured them about looking after themselves and having some self-respect; because he couldnât turn round to speak to them, the words seemed to emanate from his dark, stiff back. At some level they were genuinely impressed by his concern. As a matter of fact, a few days before, a couple of lorry drivers had given them a lift to the beach and when they got out one of them had grabbed Helenaâs hand and tried to put it on his trousers, until his friend swore at them and drove on.
But Joyce was also exhilarated by Uncle Dickâs very exasperation and his fear for them. If there was danger, then that meant you counted for something. You had at least the powerâthe power that Vera and Lil didnât haveâto disconcert him, to make him mutter to himself and drive with impatient thwarted accelerations and
The skies were the only spectacular feature of the estuary scenery. Changeable and full of drama, they loomed domineeringly over the flatland and altered the color of the water hour by hour; this afternoon it was pale brown, like milky coffee. The girls, up to their mid-thighs in tepid water, watched a sudden jostling company of small angry clouds overhead; fat warm raindrops plopped down all around them. It seemed very funny, to be in their swimming costumes in the rain. Their costumes were new, they had chosen them yesterday in a department store in town: Helenaâs was a blue-and-white striped halter neck, Joyceâs was a strapless bloomer suit with a pattern of black-and-white birds against a dark pink background. Lil had given Joyce four pounds to spend out of the old tobacco jar where she kept her savings. The girls were in love with their new costumes and couldnât stop looking down at themselves and at each other. They didnât really want to submerge in the muddy water and spoil them.
Someone was calling them from the beach. They both looked round; it was Uncle Dick. His car was parked up behind the other one, and he stood on the shingle in his work uniform with his jacket over his arm and his sleeves rolled up. They couldnât hear what he was saying.
âWhat? they shouted back, knowing it was futile and he wouldnât be able to hear them either. They savored a few momentsâ delicious remoteness, lingering there inaccessible in the spatter of hot rain, feeling the impotence of the figure on the shore to reach them.
âWhat in hellâs name does he want? Joyce wondered languorously.
âThe legendary uncle, said Helena. Wonât there be outbreaks of lawlessness if heâs not at his post?
When he persisted and signaled furiously for them to return, they began reluctantly to wade back.
âDoes your mother know you two are down here cavorting around half naked? he shouted, as soon as they were in hearing distance.
âWe told her! Joyce shouted back.
âShe said we could cavort, said Helena placidly, covered by the noise of their rather exaggeratedly splashing through the shallows, in our new costumes.
âYouâre asking for trouble. You know what kind of spot this is.
âWhat kind of spot is it? Joyce did a perfect imitation of nonplused and wide-eyed.
âGet yourselves dried off, he said angrily, pointing to their towels. Iâll take you back in the car. Your mother and your aunt have no idea, letting you run around the place like hoydens. Anyway, itâs coming on to rain.
âHoydens? murmured Helena in delight. They rubbed their legs down, streaking the towels with mud.
âWhat do you think hoydens do? wondered Joyce.
âWhatever it is, I think we should try it. To begin with, they cavort.
âI love to cavort.
âSo do I.
They sat in the backseat of the car: Uncle Dick had spread out a towel, so that they wouldnât make wet marks on his upholstery. He lectured them about looking after themselves and having some self-respect; because he couldnât turn round to speak to them, the words seemed to emanate from his dark, stiff back. At some level they were genuinely impressed by his concern. As a matter of fact, a few days before, a couple of lorry drivers had given them a lift to the beach and when they got out one of them had grabbed Helenaâs hand and tried to put it on his trousers, until his friend swore at them and drove on.
But Joyce was also exhilarated by Uncle Dickâs very exasperation and his fear for them. If there was danger, then that meant you counted for something. You had at least the powerâthe power that Vera and Lil didnât haveâto disconcert him, to make him mutter to himself and drive with impatient thwarted accelerations and
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