Read Online No Angel (Spoils of Time 01) by Penny Vincenzi - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Penny Vincenzi
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rest.’
‘That’s not what Dr Perring said. He said I should be careful and take plenty of rest. Especially at the stage when it happened last time. Which is still a long way off. When it comes, I shall take to my bed for a week or so, I promise you. I am doing what he said, I am sleeping for at least two hours every afternoon. This work is not going to prevent me doing that. Anyway, Oliver, unless you want to be branded as an outmoded, capitalistic-style husband to the whole of the Fabian society, you have to let me do it.’
Oliver looked at her. ‘Tell me again,’ he said, ‘precisely what this task involves.’
‘I knew you weren’t listening. Mrs Pember Reeves, she’s such a wonderful woman, Oliver, it was in her house the Fabian Women’s Group was founded, she has come up with a scheme for helping poor families in Lambeth. Well poor families everywhere. Not by doing charitable works, raising money, taking them soup, all that nonsense. Mrs Pember Reeves has a permanent solution in mind. She says the state must be obliged to realise its responsibilities, must understand exactly what the poor are condemned to unless they are given what they need. Which is decent housing, and a chance to raise their families without the constant fear of poverty and illness.’
‘And how does she propose to make it realise that?’
‘Well, by showing, in a properly informed, detailed report, exactly how poverty damages people, damages them permanently, it’s a vicious circle, condemning the children, and especially the girls, to a life-pattern which repeats that of their mothers, only then can the state be persuaded to provide the basic human needs. And satisfy the most basic human right, that of decent living conditions and a chance for women particularly to better themselves.’
‘Does this have anything to do that other subject so dear to Fabian hearts, getting the vote for women?’
‘No, not really. Only very indirectly at any rate. Of course I care about that as well. But I can’t start demonstrating, tying myself to railings and so on, or you really would lock me up.’
‘True.’
‘And I think I can do more good this way. Do you know, Oliver, there are families not two miles from here, large families, living on less than a pound a week, in a couple of rooms a quarter the size of this one. And the mothers, decent, intelligent women, simply can’t make a tolerable life for their families within those homes. The infant mortality rate is dreadfully high, not because the mothers are ignorant or incompetent, but because they lack the money to provide for their own and their families’ needs. They don’t have enough food, they don’t have enough clothing and they certainly don’t have any facilities for recreation. And it won’t get any better until they obtain those things. As a right. If Mrs Pember Reeves’ scheme comes to fruition, there will be hope for these women. And I intend to help her see that it does.’
Oliver sighed. ‘Well, I can’t stop you, I suppose. I’ve never been able to stop you doing anything. Even,’ he said, with the shadow of a smile, ‘even from marrying me.’
‘I don’t see what you’re afraid of, Oliver.’ Celia said impatiently,
‘What harm do you think this will do me?’
Oliver looked at her. ‘I’m afraid of two things,’ he said. ‘One is that you will harm yourself and the baby. The other is,’ and here he stopped, smiled again, almost involuntarily, at her, ‘the other is that in spite of everything you’ve said, you will arrive home one day with one or more of these families, and inform me that they are coming to live with us.’
‘Oh don’t be so ridiculous’ said Celia, ‘we are absolutely forbidden to make any kind of personal input. I could be expelled from the Fabian society if I did. That really is one thing you don’t have to worry about.’
LM was taking the short cut up from the underground station towards her house; she was
‘That’s not what Dr Perring said. He said I should be careful and take plenty of rest. Especially at the stage when it happened last time. Which is still a long way off. When it comes, I shall take to my bed for a week or so, I promise you. I am doing what he said, I am sleeping for at least two hours every afternoon. This work is not going to prevent me doing that. Anyway, Oliver, unless you want to be branded as an outmoded, capitalistic-style husband to the whole of the Fabian society, you have to let me do it.’
Oliver looked at her. ‘Tell me again,’ he said, ‘precisely what this task involves.’
‘I knew you weren’t listening. Mrs Pember Reeves, she’s such a wonderful woman, Oliver, it was in her house the Fabian Women’s Group was founded, she has come up with a scheme for helping poor families in Lambeth. Well poor families everywhere. Not by doing charitable works, raising money, taking them soup, all that nonsense. Mrs Pember Reeves has a permanent solution in mind. She says the state must be obliged to realise its responsibilities, must understand exactly what the poor are condemned to unless they are given what they need. Which is decent housing, and a chance to raise their families without the constant fear of poverty and illness.’
‘And how does she propose to make it realise that?’
‘Well, by showing, in a properly informed, detailed report, exactly how poverty damages people, damages them permanently, it’s a vicious circle, condemning the children, and especially the girls, to a life-pattern which repeats that of their mothers, only then can the state be persuaded to provide the basic human needs. And satisfy the most basic human right, that of decent living conditions and a chance for women particularly to better themselves.’
‘Does this have anything to do that other subject so dear to Fabian hearts, getting the vote for women?’
‘No, not really. Only very indirectly at any rate. Of course I care about that as well. But I can’t start demonstrating, tying myself to railings and so on, or you really would lock me up.’
‘True.’
‘And I think I can do more good this way. Do you know, Oliver, there are families not two miles from here, large families, living on less than a pound a week, in a couple of rooms a quarter the size of this one. And the mothers, decent, intelligent women, simply can’t make a tolerable life for their families within those homes. The infant mortality rate is dreadfully high, not because the mothers are ignorant or incompetent, but because they lack the money to provide for their own and their families’ needs. They don’t have enough food, they don’t have enough clothing and they certainly don’t have any facilities for recreation. And it won’t get any better until they obtain those things. As a right. If Mrs Pember Reeves’ scheme comes to fruition, there will be hope for these women. And I intend to help her see that it does.’
Oliver sighed. ‘Well, I can’t stop you, I suppose. I’ve never been able to stop you doing anything. Even,’ he said, with the shadow of a smile, ‘even from marrying me.’
‘I don’t see what you’re afraid of, Oliver.’ Celia said impatiently,
‘What harm do you think this will do me?’
Oliver looked at her. ‘I’m afraid of two things,’ he said. ‘One is that you will harm yourself and the baby. The other is,’ and here he stopped, smiled again, almost involuntarily, at her, ‘the other is that in spite of everything you’ve said, you will arrive home one day with one or more of these families, and inform me that they are coming to live with us.’
‘Oh don’t be so ridiculous’ said Celia, ‘we are absolutely forbidden to make any kind of personal input. I could be expelled from the Fabian society if I did. That really is one thing you don’t have to worry about.’
LM was taking the short cut up from the underground station towards her house; she was
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