semi-consciousness that they occasionally copulate, why don't you say so?'
'It's the children I'm thinking of,' said Eva. 'I'm not sure it's good for them to live in an environment where there's so much of what you just said going on.'
'If it didn't they wouldn't be here at all. And anyway your primitive penfriends are great ones for a bit of icketyboo, to use an expression that will suitably baffle Josephine. She usually comes straight out with '
'Henry,' said Eva warningly.
'Well she does. Frequently. I heard her only yesterday tell Penelope to go '
'I don't want to hear,' said Eva.
'I didn't either, come to that,' said Wilt, 'but the fact remains that the younger generation mature rather more rapidly in words and deeds than we did. When I was ten I still thought fuck was something father did with a hammer when he hit his thumb instead of the nail. Now it's common parlance at four...'
'Never mind that,' said Eva. 'Your father's language left much to be desired.'
'At least in my father's case it was his language. In your old man it was the whole person. I've often wondered how your mother could bring herself...'
'Henry Wilt, you'll leave my family out of this. I want to know what you think we should do about Miss Mueller.'
'Why ask me? You invited her to come and live here. You didn't consult me. And I certainly didn't want the damned woman. Now that she's turned out to be some sort of international sex fiend, according to you, who's likely to infect the children with premature nymphomania, I get dragged in...'
'All I want is your advice,' said Eva.
'Then here it is,' said Wilt. 'Tell her to get the hell out.'
'But that's the difficulty. She's given a month's rent in advance. I haven't put it in the bank yet, but still...'
'Well, give it back to her for Christ's sake. If you don't want the bag give her the boot.'
'It seems so inhospitable really,' said Eva. 'I mean she's foreign and far from home.'
'Not far enough from my home,' said Wilt, 'and all her boyfriends seem to be Croesus Juniors. She can shack up with them or stay at Claridges. My advice is to give her money back and bung her out.' And Wilt went through to the living-room and sat in front of the television until supper was ready.
In the kitchen Eva made up her mind. Mavis Mottram had been wrong again. Henry wasn't in the least interested in Miss Mueller and she could give the money to PAPP. So there was no need to ask the lodger to leave. Perhaps if she just suggested that things could be heard through the ceiling or... Anyway it was nice to know Henry hadn't been up to anything nasty. Which only went to show that she shouldn't listen to what Mavis had to say. Henry was a good husband in spite of his funny ways. It was a happy Eva who called Wilt to his supper that evening.
Chapter 10
It was a surprisingly happy Wilt who left Dr Scally's surgery the following Wednesday. After an initial bout of jocularity about Wilt's injuries the removal of the bandages and the pipeline had proceeded comparatively painlessly.
'Absolutely no need for all this in my opinion,' said the doctor, 'but those young fellows up at the hospital like to make a thorough job of things while they're about it.'
A remark that almost persuaded Wilt to lodge an official complaint with the Health Ombudsman. Dr Scally was against it
'Think of the scandal, my dear fellow, and strictly speaking they were within their rights. If
