Summer in February Page #2

suggested coition,

"so he mounted the ladder

and had her!"

- Same again, Dolly?

- AJ, you're a gent and it's a gin.

- Joey?

- To Omar Khayyam!

If everyone could write

like Omar Khayyam.

Who's this Omar Khayyam?

Weren't you educated at all?

No. Not much.

- He does makes lots of references...

- AJ.

Erm...

Who's this Omar, then?

Arab horse thief?

Er, "Rubaiyat" of Omar Khayyam.

It's a poem,

translated from the Persian.

Which Persian?

So it's a poem.

Let's hear a bit, then.

- I like a bit of poetry.

- Alfred.

No, stay out of this, Laura.

Well, come on.

- Do you...?

- A couplet.

- Bertie...

- A line? A word?

So you like this Omar, but you don't

know a bloody word of his?

- Right, Jory!

- Yes, AJ.

Get me a drink, will you,

and I'll give this lot a bit of poetry.

A bit of bloody "Hiawatha".

"Never stoops the soaring vulture

"On his quarry in the desert,

"On the sick or wounded bison,

But another vulture, watching

"From his high aerial lookout... "

Florence, I would very much like

to paint you.

I was wondering

whether you would sit for me.

And when I'm with you,

I could pick your brains,

because I came here to learn from

you. I want to learn from all of you.

- Well, if you wish.

- Would you excuse me.

Mightn't it be easier

if you asked Dolly?

- Dolly?

- Yes.

No, Dolly's game enough,

but she has nothing to hide.

"And filled the silent wigwam... "

Oh, Howard, I'm sorry. I can't.

I've just remembered.

I promised to sit for Mr Munnings.

"Hiawatha could hear a rustle... "

- On a horse.

- On a horse?

Yes.

Well, that's what he does,

doesn't he? Horses.

AJ doesn't do women.

Excuse me.

"Felt the cold breath

of the night air,

"And for the moment

saw the starlight,

"But he could see

the ghosts no longer,

"Saw no more the wandering spirits

"From the kingdom of Ponemah,

"From the land of the Hereafter. "

And that was

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

and he is not a f***ing Persian.

Well done, AJ. Well done.

I must say that is quite a feat.

Jory, get these gentlemen a drink

and a slice of humble pie.

Well, now, AJ, I was wondering

if we could have a little settle up.

- Excuse me.

- I've been totting up here.

And erm... there we are.

Oh, I see.

Well, I can do better than this,

Mr Jory.

- Can you, now?

- Yes, I can.

I'll give you something priceless.

Oh. Oh, dear Lord.

- Is that us?

- It's us.

Well, I suppose I'd better

add it to my collection.

I can tell you like it here.

- A man, was it?

- I'm sorry?

Are you escaping from a man?

I was.

Thought as much.

Wait, don't move.

It was my father.

Worries about you, does he?

- And I can see why.

- What can you see?

A talented girl who wants

what she wants.

And that's worrying, is it?

Hm, for some men.

Not for me.

All right.

Come on. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

- Calm down.

- Whoa, calm down, now.

Calm down, calm down, calm down.

That's it. You're such a good girl.

Let's get back to work, eh?

Good girl.

Gilbert.

Gilbert.

Come on. No, that's not it.

Lighter, man. Blast.

Bloody Gilbert.

Would you like me to help you?

- Help me?

- I could make you better.

What's Joey been saying to you?

He's been talking

about me, hasn't he?

Make you a better painter.

Oh, I see.

Lighter, lighter! Blast.

What on earth?

Wait, you can't leave now.

Oh, for God's sake,

get back on the horse, woman.

I have pins and needles

and I have my own work to do.

I can't be on both sides

of the easel at once, can I?

Come back tomorrow. Will you?

But I'm on the edge.

What is that?

It's a rabbit.

What's it doing there?

It brings the trout up.

How?

Maggots breed inside it,

drop down into the stream.

It attracts the bigger fish.

That's all.

What's the matter? You're shivering.

Is something wrong?

Here, take this.

Thank you.

- Better?

- Yes.

Will you stay for a bit?

Only if you go on fishing.

All right.

That is if you...

if you don't mind me watching.

There's nothing I'd like more.

- What a wonderful walk.

- Let's do it again.

- I'd love to.

- Tomorrow morning, then.

- Erm, I'm meeting AJ for a lesson.

- Ah, lucky man.

You're very loyal to him, aren't you?

I like him.

Whatever he does?

His bark's worse than his bite.

Come on, Doll!

- It's not too bad.

- Joey!

I'm going now!

Then get it on you!

Come on! Here!

I need a place of my own.

You're not going away?

No. No, a... a studio.

However small, somewhere

I can work and be alone.

- I'll keep my eye open.

- Would you?

- Of course.

- Come on in, it's lovely!

- Come on, Gilbert.

- Oh, that boy.

Wait here.

on!

Joey! Dolly!

Joey, come in at once!

The tide will drag you out to sea!

Come in, both of you! Dolly!

- Woo!

- Come on, Dolls. Let's go.

Caught red-handed.

Nice out here,

isn't it, Captain?

Dolly, the tide is

especially dangerous here.

You a prefect at school,

were you?

Of course I was.

Oh, hurry up, Dolls.

It's freezing.

- Come on, get your clothes on.

- All right, then.

F***!

AJ!

Ad!

Where were you? I thought

I was sitting for you this morning.

I can't paint, Florence.

Everybody has off days.

Don't talk to me about off days.

I paint. That's what I do.

Nothing else matters.

I see it and I paint it.

I thought you understood that.

- Where are you going?

- As far away as I can.

- Here we are, ma'am.

- Anything interesting?

- It's from Father.

- Father? What does it say?

He's coming down.

What on earth is he coming down for?

To spoil the fun.

That's what he does.

He'll miss the main show.

There's no AJ.

Can you imagine how

the two of them would get along?

I've got it.

We get Gilbert over.

- That's perfect.

- Gilbert won't let the side down.

- We'll ask him now.

- I promised I'd sit for Harold.

All right, in demand, are we?

Joey, whatever happens when Father

comes, you mustn't lose your nerve.

- Right.

- We're not going home.

Come on, kids. Clear off.

And leave his painting.

Don't touch those paints.

Don't touch the paint!

Beautiful.

Get! Hey, give me that.

Bugger off, you little rats.

Well, how are you both getting on?

We're having great fun, Father.

I meant the art classes.

Well, they're going very well.

They're costing me a fortune.

Anything to show for it?

- More cake, Father?

- Er...

Just a slither,

if I may, Florence, thank you.

More cake, Captain Evans?

If I may.

So, Captain Evans, you're

with the Monmouthshire Militia?

Yes,

Colonel Paynter's regiment, sir.

But he also keeps an eye

on all the wayward artists.

Don't you, Captain Evans?

Never lets us out of his sight.

But you're called back regularly

for training?

When required, yes,

every few months or so.

Very good, very good.

And where were you at school?

- I was at Rugby, sir.

- Rugby...

Very good, so, er...

- Who's going to show me round?

- Joey said he'd like to.

Gilbert's already asked me for a walk

to Mousehole along the cliffs.

Yes, marvellous views along there.

Good, excellent.

Do you ever come up to town,

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