Read Online The Wedding Party by H. E. Bates - Free Book Online Page A

spring water and the way she looked at him was full of stillness.
    He went away, pondered for a few minutes, decided he hadn’t a notion which wine had been ordered and then went back into the dining-room with the wine-list. Would the gentleman mind telling him again which wine he wanted?
    â€˜The
Liebfraumilch
, you flapping wet! How many more times? I have it every time I come here. They keep it specially for me.’
    â€˜Perhaps you wouldn’t mind just pointing it out on the list for me, sir?’
    â€˜It isn’t on the bloody list, you damn fool. I tell you they keep it specially for me. Are you going to bring the damn stuff or do I have to fetch it myself?’
    â€˜I’m bringing it, sir.’
    Again, all this time, the girl sat watching him, never moving an eyelid. Again her eyes had that great penetrative stillness in them. She seemed to be looking completely through him and it was almost as if she had already discovered what his great trouble was: the fact that he couldn’t read or write and that therefore, for him, the names of wines, like those of horses, were for ever locked in mystery.
    He finally got over the trouble with the help of the barman, who also gave him some brief advice. ‘Better ask which number on the list people want, Squiff. The bins are all numbered in the cellar and I’ll show you which is which.’
    Several minutes later he was on his way back to the dining-room with the bottle of
Liebfraumilch
when, half way down the broad baronial corridor, he found himself face to face with the girl. It didn’t strike him for a long time afterwards that she might have intentionally made an excuse to come out there simply for the purpose of helping him. He could only stand there, at that moment, looking as stiff and vacuous as one of the faceless suits of armour stuck up against the wall.
    â€˜Did you manage to find it?’ she said.
    â€˜Think so, miss. Is this the one?’
    â€˜That’s the one.’ She laid her hand on the bottle and the way he felt himself start suddenly she might have beenlaying it on his arm. ‘Yes, the temperature’s about right. You’d better get another one up too. Mr Lubbock’s sure to want another.’
    She smiled and for what seemed to be about half a minute he stood utterly transfixed. He had nothing at all to say; but already the greatest of all possible wonders had started to grow in his mind: how it could come about that a girl of her sort, clothed with that beautiful, well-mannered stillness, could have mixed herself up with a man like Lubbock? It was all completely beyond him.
    â€˜And don’t forget that Mr Lubbock likes me to taste the wine first. He says my palate’s good. You’ll remember that, won’t you?’
    â€˜Yes, miss.’
    She smiled and then, for the first time, his hands started trembling. They were to suffer these bouts of acute trembling for several months afterwards. Sometimes they lasted for only a minute or so, sometimes for half an hour, but that first evening he was still shaking when he started to pour the wine at Lubbock’s table.
    As the first drops went into the girl’s glass Lubbock gave a pugnacious sort of growl.
    â€˜How the hell did you know Miss Howard liked to taste the wine?’
    â€˜Ladies first, sir.’
    â€˜You’ll do.’ Lubbock gave a half-belch that might almost have been a note of praise. ‘I shall want another bottle of this, do you hear?’
    â€˜Yessir. Ready whenever you want it.’
    â€˜It’d better be. And watch what you’re up to. You’re all of a bloody shake.’
    The girl had been watching his trembling hands and now she looked straight up at him. Immediately something in the very fullness of the stare calmed him down completely. And then as if she wanted to put him finally at rest she said: ‘Your face seems familiar. Didn’t you used to work at
The Dolphin
at