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had always been considerate with her, too damned considerate
    "What are you standing there for, like that? You're shivering. Either get into bed or go along and see him and get it over with."
    He turned from her and went to the wardrobe and took out his dressing gown. He was putting it on as he went out on to the landing.
    Harry opened his son's bedroom door and went into the room. The light was on and the lower bunk was empty. Terry turned from his back on to his side and looked from the upper bunk at his father. He looked wide awake as if he had been waiting for him coming. He said under his breath, "He's in his study." He motioned his head towards the wall and the box- room that his mother had turned into a workroom for his elder bromer ana given it the title of the study.
    Harry put his hand out and ruffled Terry's already unruly bead, saying,
    "It's time you were asleep, isn't it?"
    Terry chuckled, then laughed softly before he asked, "Did you take much?"
    "A mint, one pound, eight and threepence."
    "Coo! Could they spare it?"
    "That's what I've been asking. It wasn't worth it, was it? I mean standing out there all night."
    "No, I should say not. Are you cold?"
    "I was, but it's wearing off." Again Harry touched his son's head.
    Terry was a nice boy. His character was akin to Gail's, kindly, thoughtful, just the opposite from John's. Who did John take after?
    Not himself; nor yet Esther. His grandfather? Perhaps, for Dave Rippon had his own particular form of sulks.
    "Get to sleep now," he said as he went out.
    He did not knock on the door next to the bedroom but opened it quietly and paused as he saw his son sitting at the small desk in the corner of the narrow room. The boy did not turn his head to look at him. He had likely heard his voice from the other room and was waiting for him.
    Perhaps he had been waiting for him all evening. This wasn't the first occasion when his son had remained stubbornly silent until he had gone to him and, if not actually apologised, made his peace. He stood by his side now looking down on his hair, but he had no desire to put his hand out and touch it as he had done a moment ago with Terry.
    "Time you were in bed, isn't it?" he said.
    There was no reply from John, no movement whatever.
    "I'm sorry about tonight; we were both a bit hasty."
    Still no reply, no movement.
    "I know you don't like Robbie. I know you're an entirely different type from him, but that's no reason to call him names." Harry saw his son's jaw work, first to one side and then to the other, before his teeth came hard down on his lower hp. ^ / "It's Christmas and this is no time to have quarrels or disagreements.
    Your mother's worried. Shall we forget it? " He put out tils tiana now anu gciiuy lolh. ucu nis 5011's suoluuer; uien, before the lack of response should make him angry, he turned about, saying, "Come on, get to bed. It's well past midnight." He paused at the door without turning round and added, "Good night."
    He didn't even expect an answer to this, for this was John acting according to pattern, but tomorrow morning things would be as they had been before the incident at this evening's meal.
    Esther was lying down when he returned to the room and she didn't speak until he had got into bed and put the light out, and then she said,
    "Good night," and he answered, "Good night."
    He hadn't kissed her good night for more than five years now.
    It was almost half-an-hour later when he heard her give a genteel little snort which meant she was asleep, and he turned on his side and put his hand under his cheek and lay staring wide-eyed into the darkness. And it came to him that he was lonely.
    TWO
    "Good morning, Mr. Blenheim."
    "Good morning."
    "Good morning, Mr. Blenheim."
    "Good morning."
    The female voices of the packing staff chorused through the outer office of the first floor of Peamarsh's.
    When Harry passed a little cubicle where an elderly man was sitting at a desk on which there were three telephones, he