"Capital," I replied, opening the latch and making a genuine display of delight with the contents. "Egg salad and- what is that, fish?"
"Pickled herring."
I lifted them both out along with the china plate at the bottom and arranged them neatly. "Let's see what else you've brought us." There were three hard boiled eggs at the bottom and a small jar of salt.
"I deduce that Harrington had a surplus of a certain something," I said.
Jeeves's mouth went thinner than it already was, turning into a single stern line on a canvas that was getting darker with bristles by the day. I hastily added on a description of my affinity for eggs.
"Wonderful things. Round. I've heard that the brown ones are the best."
He caught one as I tossed it over, and we sat together on the edge of the bed, cracking the shells and making the best out of our rubbery lunch.
"I have some news I think you'll be especially pleased with," I said, reaching for the sandwich with the pickled herring and waving it about in a celebratory manner. A bit of mayonnaise escaped as it was flung about and landed on Jeeves's trouser. I hastily wiped it off with my thumb and onto the blanket. "Sorry."
He looked down at the oily stain with a pained eye. It was not without company. Both our outfits had borne a visible ledger of our three days in the shack and excursions in the surrounding countryside. Usually one does not wear the same clothes morning and night, for days on end, but the arrival of the two valises that I'd sent ahead of us containing the rest of our wardrobe had been delayed until Tuesday.
"I was in the pub," I continued, "discussing our accommodations with Tuppy, and-"
The memory of my promised contribution to lunch suddenly surfaced as my salt-induced thirst and recollection of the pub collided.
"Oh lord, I forgot I was going to buy a bottle of ale."
Jeeves shrugged as if he hadn't just consumed half a jar of salt on an egg and bit into his sandwich. I could see his jaw tensing slightly and quickly got up to fetch us some fresh water.
While our location wasn't exactly choice, the water from the well on the property was some of the clearest and sweetest I'd ever had, and I felt already slightly nostalgic for our time here, knowing it was nearly over.
"Well anyways," I said, sipping from a tin cup, "Harrington's called to tells us they're about done with repairs, so we can get into our room at six."
"You're sure?"
"Positive. I'm surprised they didn't tell you when you were picking though the kitchen."
Jeeves had picked Harrington's - as I understood it- specifically because it was rural and staffed by a couple with a son that recently immigrated from Greece with limited proficiency in the English language. Hence a good chance they wouldn't recognize either of us or be receptive to any gossip. It had been five months since things had changed between us, and the idea of a June holiday in the country as a proper couple had been too tantalizing to leave to fantasy.
I knew what he had been envisioning; mornings in the veranda cafe where we could sit at the same table, a cozy room with a comfortable bed, maybe even fishing for pike out on the lake below the hill. Instead we had been holed up in a small shed for days, commuting back and forth to the local pub to use the loo and eat the unfortunate local cuisine. I had adjusted fairly well, but Jeeves is a man that thrives on the cleanliness of civilization, and I could tell that present circs were taking a toll.
"No luggage yet," I said regretfully, "but it should join us tomorrow. I imagine you're anxious to be reunited with your necessaries."
He touched his chin and then glanced at me before looking quickly away and concentrating on his sandwich.
Re: Fill: Prickly pt 2
"Pickled herring."
I lifted them both out along with the china plate at the bottom and arranged them neatly. "Let's see what else you've brought us." There were three hard boiled eggs at the bottom and a small jar of salt.
"I deduce that Harrington had a surplus of a certain something," I said.
Jeeves's mouth went thinner than it already was, turning into a single stern line on a canvas that was getting darker with bristles by the day. I hastily added on a description of my affinity for eggs.
"Wonderful things. Round. I've heard that the brown ones are the best."
He caught one as I tossed it over, and we sat together on the edge of the bed, cracking the shells and making the best out of our rubbery lunch.
"I have some news I think you'll be especially pleased with," I said, reaching for the sandwich with the pickled herring and waving it about in a celebratory manner. A bit of mayonnaise escaped as it was flung about and landed on Jeeves's trouser. I hastily wiped it off with my thumb and onto the blanket. "Sorry."
He looked down at the oily stain with a pained eye. It was not without company. Both our outfits had borne a visible ledger of our three days in the shack and excursions in the surrounding countryside. Usually one does not wear the same clothes morning and night, for days on end, but the arrival of the two valises that I'd sent ahead of us containing the rest of our wardrobe had been delayed until Tuesday.
"I was in the pub," I continued, "discussing our accommodations with Tuppy, and-"
The memory of my promised contribution to lunch suddenly surfaced as my salt-induced thirst and recollection of the pub collided.
"Oh lord, I forgot I was going to buy a bottle of ale."
Jeeves shrugged as if he hadn't just consumed half a jar of salt on an egg and bit into his sandwich. I could see his jaw tensing slightly and quickly got up to fetch us some fresh water.
While our location wasn't exactly choice, the water from the well on the property was some of the clearest and sweetest I'd ever had, and I felt already slightly nostalgic for our time here, knowing it was nearly over.
"Well anyways," I said, sipping from a tin cup, "Harrington's called to tells us they're about done with repairs, so we can get into our room at six."
"You're sure?"
"Positive. I'm surprised they didn't tell you when you were picking though the kitchen."
Jeeves had picked Harrington's - as I understood it- specifically because it was rural and staffed by a couple with a son that recently immigrated from Greece with limited proficiency in the English language. Hence a good chance they wouldn't recognize either of us or be receptive to any gossip. It had been five months since things had changed between us, and the idea of a June holiday in the country as a proper couple had been too tantalizing to leave to fantasy.
I knew what he had been envisioning; mornings in the veranda cafe where we could sit at the same table, a cozy room with a comfortable bed, maybe even fishing for pike out on the lake below the hill. Instead we had been holed up in a small shed for days, commuting back and forth to the local pub to use the loo and eat the unfortunate local cuisine. I had adjusted fairly well, but Jeeves is a man that thrives on the cleanliness of civilization, and I could tell that present circs were taking a toll.
"No luggage yet," I said regretfully, "but it should join us tomorrow. I imagine you're anxious to be reunited with your necessaries."
He touched his chin and then glanced at me before looking quickly away and concentrating on his sandwich.