Soul Music - Noticed

'I give in,' he said, wagging his finger at Susan again. 'I told him no good'd come of it. He started meddlin', and next thing a mere chit of a girl- where'd you go?'

Susan walked over to the table while Albert waved his arms in the air, trying to find her. There was a cheeseboard on the table, and a snuff box. And a string of sausages. No fresh vegetables at all. Miss Butts advocated avoiding fried foods and eating plenty of vegetables for what she referred to as Daily Health. She put a lot of troubles down to an absence of Daily Health.

Albert looked like the embodiment of them all as he scuttled around the kitchen, grabbing at the air. She sat in the chair as he danced past. Albert stopped moving, and put his hand over one eye. Then he turned, very carefully. The one visible eye was screwed up in a frantic effort of concentration. He squinted at the chair, his eye watering with effort.

'That's pretty good,' he said, quietly. 'All right. You're here. The rat and the horse brought you. Damn fool things. They think it's the right thing to do.'

'What right thing to do?' said Susan. 'And I'm not a . . . what you said.'

Albert stared at her. 'The Master could do that,' he said at last. 'It's part of the job. I 'spect you found you could do it a long time ago, eh? Not be noticed when you didn't want to be?'

***

Soul Music - p53