nothing about her husband surprised her any longer.
‘A man can look, Jo.’ John sounded like a small boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. ‘Looking can’t do any harm.’
‘Putting your dirty thoughts into action can though, can’t it?’ Josephine sat beside her sister and changed the subject abruptly.
‘Your boys are growing like sticks. When I saw them over at Mammy’s they were like young gentlemen, so polite and considerate.’ She touched her sister’s arm. ‘You must be so happy, Hortense, so pleased with all you’ve got. Don’t ever let anything or anyone spoil it, you understand?’
Hortense looked puzzled. ‘I sure won’t, honey, but why should anything spoil what me and Binnie have here?’
‘I’m just saying.’ Josephine looked up at Binnie and he had the distinct impression she knew more about him than was comfortable. The women fell into desultory chatter about household affairs and John nodded to Binnie.
‘Come down to the bar for a drink, I want to talk man-talk to you.’ He looked at his wife. ‘All this small talk is so boring.’
Binnie had no wish to go with John but Hortense looked at him meaningfully. ‘You go, hon, get away from the house for a while.’ He knew she wanted to talk to her sister alone about the way John was treating her.
He sighed and picked up his hat. ‘Right, let’s just walk down to Maggie’s place, it’s not far.’ The last thing he felt like was indulging John. In any case, he would rather drink in the comfort of his own home than put up with the other man’s bad mood. Still, it would be a kindness to get him away from the women at least for a time.
‘I’ve had enough of married life,’ John said when they were out of earshot of the women. Binnie looked at him.
‘I think I got that message loud and clear, so did the womenfolk.’ He spoke in a level tone but anger was beginning to burn in his gut. ‘Do you think you’re wise showing it so openly? After all, your job, your home, your comfortable existence all rest on keeping Dan’s girl happy.’
‘Is that what you think about your marriage?’ John asked. ‘You pretend to care for Hortense because her father provides so well for you?’
‘Hey, now don’t go pushing me too far!’ Binnie said. ‘I love my wife and I work hard for her and my kids. Dan gave me a job and I earn every penny I get.’
‘And I don’t?’ John said tersely.
‘I’m not saying that.’ Binnie told himself to calm down, there was no point in spoiling his day arguing with John when he was in such a foul mood. ‘I’m saying be careful, that’s all.’
‘Like you are?’ Something in the way John said the words made Binnie pause in his stride.
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘Come off it! I know you are living a lie. You’re not married to Hortense at all, you are married to some Irish woman back home.’
Binnie’s mouth was suddenly dry. ‘Rubbish! Who told you that?’ Binnie’s mind was spinning. John had met up with Joe but the man was not the kind to indulge in malicious gossip.
‘No, it wasn’t Joe.’ John had guessed his thoughts. ‘It was one of the servants he had with him. The man knew you, knew, what’s her name? Ah yes, Maura, that’s it. I might have heard something about the marriage when I was back in Swansea but I never caught on about you until now.’
‘Why would this man tell you anything about me?’ Binnie asked.
John smiled. ‘For a few dollars some people will do anything. Anyway, don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes, Binnie, it’s too late for that. I knew all along you were hiding something about your past and at last I’ve put two and two together.’ He smiled but there was no humour in his face. ‘Don’t worry, old man, I won’t say anything to spoil the luxury of your life out here though I might want you to cover up for me once in a while.’
‘Cover up?’
‘Yes, cover up. I’ve found a woman, someone I’m in love with and
‘A man can look, Jo.’ John sounded like a small boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. ‘Looking can’t do any harm.’
‘Putting your dirty thoughts into action can though, can’t it?’ Josephine sat beside her sister and changed the subject abruptly.
‘Your boys are growing like sticks. When I saw them over at Mammy’s they were like young gentlemen, so polite and considerate.’ She touched her sister’s arm. ‘You must be so happy, Hortense, so pleased with all you’ve got. Don’t ever let anything or anyone spoil it, you understand?’
Hortense looked puzzled. ‘I sure won’t, honey, but why should anything spoil what me and Binnie have here?’
‘I’m just saying.’ Josephine looked up at Binnie and he had the distinct impression she knew more about him than was comfortable. The women fell into desultory chatter about household affairs and John nodded to Binnie.
‘Come down to the bar for a drink, I want to talk man-talk to you.’ He looked at his wife. ‘All this small talk is so boring.’
Binnie had no wish to go with John but Hortense looked at him meaningfully. ‘You go, hon, get away from the house for a while.’ He knew she wanted to talk to her sister alone about the way John was treating her.
He sighed and picked up his hat. ‘Right, let’s just walk down to Maggie’s place, it’s not far.’ The last thing he felt like was indulging John. In any case, he would rather drink in the comfort of his own home than put up with the other man’s bad mood. Still, it would be a kindness to get him away from the women at least for a time.
‘I’ve had enough of married life,’ John said when they were out of earshot of the women. Binnie looked at him.
‘I think I got that message loud and clear, so did the womenfolk.’ He spoke in a level tone but anger was beginning to burn in his gut. ‘Do you think you’re wise showing it so openly? After all, your job, your home, your comfortable existence all rest on keeping Dan’s girl happy.’
‘Is that what you think about your marriage?’ John asked. ‘You pretend to care for Hortense because her father provides so well for you?’
‘Hey, now don’t go pushing me too far!’ Binnie said. ‘I love my wife and I work hard for her and my kids. Dan gave me a job and I earn every penny I get.’
‘And I don’t?’ John said tersely.
‘I’m not saying that.’ Binnie told himself to calm down, there was no point in spoiling his day arguing with John when he was in such a foul mood. ‘I’m saying be careful, that’s all.’
‘Like you are?’ Something in the way John said the words made Binnie pause in his stride.
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘Come off it! I know you are living a lie. You’re not married to Hortense at all, you are married to some Irish woman back home.’
Binnie’s mouth was suddenly dry. ‘Rubbish! Who told you that?’ Binnie’s mind was spinning. John had met up with Joe but the man was not the kind to indulge in malicious gossip.
‘No, it wasn’t Joe.’ John had guessed his thoughts. ‘It was one of the servants he had with him. The man knew you, knew, what’s her name? Ah yes, Maura, that’s it. I might have heard something about the marriage when I was back in Swansea but I never caught on about you until now.’
‘Why would this man tell you anything about me?’ Binnie asked.
John smiled. ‘For a few dollars some people will do anything. Anyway, don’t try to pull the wool over my eyes, Binnie, it’s too late for that. I knew all along you were hiding something about your past and at last I’ve put two and two together.’ He smiled but there was no humour in his face. ‘Don’t worry, old man, I won’t say anything to spoil the luxury of your life out here though I might want you to cover up for me once in a while.’
‘Cover up?’
‘Yes, cover up. I’ve found a woman, someone I’m in love with and
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