Read Online Sins of the Fathers by Susan Howatch - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Howatch
Ads: Link
mother. Well, okay. I’m sure he’s right. But he kept saying it when he didn’t have to say
it, like someone dropping a huge hint, and I was already so tired of him dictating to me that this sort of
sotto voce
marriage commercial was just the last straw. I felt I wanted to make some big gesture to shut him up – to remind him that
it was my life and that it was about time he stopped all this massive interference. So I decided to—’
‘—demonstrate your independence by eloping with Jack.’
‘Poor Jack! It was mean of me – I wasn’t in love with him and I never really had any intention of marrying him or even going
with him … sleeping … you know.’ She blushed. Tears sprang to her eyes unexpectedly but she blinked them back. ‘I know I behaved
badly but I was so desperate … I thought it would solve something … but it just made things worse. There was another ghastly
scene when we got back to Fifth Avenue, and that was when I realized I couldn’t –
couldn’t
stay there any longer—’
‘Did Neil start pushing his wife-and-mother line at you again?’
‘Oh, it was much worse than that! He said that if I was so keen to get married he could easily find me a suitable husband.
And then Alicia said … Alicia said … Alicia said …’ She went dead white. I was no longer eating. At last she managed to say:
‘Alicia said why didn’t I marry Sebastian.’
I laughed: ‘Good God, now I’ve heard everything! Poor Alicia, I wonder how long she’s been cherishing that little pipe-dream!’
‘Uncle Sam,’ said Vicky in a shaking voice which made me want to kick myself for my insensitive response. ‘This is no laughing
matter. This is very serious. This is life and death.’
‘I’m sorry, honey, I didn’t mean to—’
‘You see what Alicia wants Alicia gets. Daddy’s so crazy about her that he always bends over backwards to accommodate her,
and that’s why when she came right out and admitted she wanted me to marry Sebastian I was absolutely terrified. It’s obvious,
of course, why she wants me to marry him. She feels guilty because after she married Daddy she found out she couldn’t have
any more children, but she’s figured out that if Daddy’s daughter by his first marriage marries her son by her first marriage,
she and Daddy will at least have mutual grandchildren.’ She shuddered but it was no affectation. Her pallor now had a greenish
tinge. I even wondered if she was about to vomit. ‘I loathe Sebastian,’ she whispered. ‘I just loathe him.’
I decided that the best way of handling the conversation was to be as sensible and down-to-earth as possible. Melodrama can
seldom thrive in an atmosphere of candid common sense. ‘What’s so terrible about Sebastian?’ I said. ‘I know he’s shy but
he’s not a bad-looking guy and he’s smart enough to be doing well at Harvard.’
She was unable to reply. I began to be seriously perturbed. ‘Vicky, does your father know exactly how you feel about Sebastian?’
‘No,’ she said. ‘There was a scene four years ago but we were all supposed to have got over it. We’ve all promised never,
never to refer to it again.’
I felt more perturbed than ever. ‘That’s all very well, Vicky, but I think Neil would be horrified if he knew this incident,
whatever it was, is still very much alive for you. But at least on one point I can put your mind at rest. Your father has
no intention of encouraging you to marry Sebastian. In fact I can promise you Sebastian just doesn’t figure in his plans for
your future at all.’
Her relief was painful to see. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Very sure. In fact I couldn’t be more sure. I can’t reveal confidentialconversations, but I give you my word of honour that you’ve been jumping to the wrong conclusions.’
‘But Alicia—’ she broke off with a start as the buzzer sounded in the hall. ‘Who’s that?’
‘I don’t know. My housekeeper’ll
it, like someone dropping a huge hint, and I was already so tired of him dictating to me that this sort of
sotto voce
marriage commercial was just the last straw. I felt I wanted to make some big gesture to shut him up – to remind him that
it was my life and that it was about time he stopped all this massive interference. So I decided to—’
‘—demonstrate your independence by eloping with Jack.’
‘Poor Jack! It was mean of me – I wasn’t in love with him and I never really had any intention of marrying him or even going
with him … sleeping … you know.’ She blushed. Tears sprang to her eyes unexpectedly but she blinked them back. ‘I know I behaved
badly but I was so desperate … I thought it would solve something … but it just made things worse. There was another ghastly
scene when we got back to Fifth Avenue, and that was when I realized I couldn’t –
couldn’t
stay there any longer—’
‘Did Neil start pushing his wife-and-mother line at you again?’
‘Oh, it was much worse than that! He said that if I was so keen to get married he could easily find me a suitable husband.
And then Alicia said … Alicia said … Alicia said …’ She went dead white. I was no longer eating. At last she managed to say:
‘Alicia said why didn’t I marry Sebastian.’
I laughed: ‘Good God, now I’ve heard everything! Poor Alicia, I wonder how long she’s been cherishing that little pipe-dream!’
‘Uncle Sam,’ said Vicky in a shaking voice which made me want to kick myself for my insensitive response. ‘This is no laughing
matter. This is very serious. This is life and death.’
‘I’m sorry, honey, I didn’t mean to—’
‘You see what Alicia wants Alicia gets. Daddy’s so crazy about her that he always bends over backwards to accommodate her,
and that’s why when she came right out and admitted she wanted me to marry Sebastian I was absolutely terrified. It’s obvious,
of course, why she wants me to marry him. She feels guilty because after she married Daddy she found out she couldn’t have
any more children, but she’s figured out that if Daddy’s daughter by his first marriage marries her son by her first marriage,
she and Daddy will at least have mutual grandchildren.’ She shuddered but it was no affectation. Her pallor now had a greenish
tinge. I even wondered if she was about to vomit. ‘I loathe Sebastian,’ she whispered. ‘I just loathe him.’
I decided that the best way of handling the conversation was to be as sensible and down-to-earth as possible. Melodrama can
seldom thrive in an atmosphere of candid common sense. ‘What’s so terrible about Sebastian?’ I said. ‘I know he’s shy but
he’s not a bad-looking guy and he’s smart enough to be doing well at Harvard.’
She was unable to reply. I began to be seriously perturbed. ‘Vicky, does your father know exactly how you feel about Sebastian?’
‘No,’ she said. ‘There was a scene four years ago but we were all supposed to have got over it. We’ve all promised never,
never to refer to it again.’
I felt more perturbed than ever. ‘That’s all very well, Vicky, but I think Neil would be horrified if he knew this incident,
whatever it was, is still very much alive for you. But at least on one point I can put your mind at rest. Your father has
no intention of encouraging you to marry Sebastian. In fact I can promise you Sebastian just doesn’t figure in his plans for
your future at all.’
Her relief was painful to see. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Very sure. In fact I couldn’t be more sure. I can’t reveal confidentialconversations, but I give you my word of honour that you’ve been jumping to the wrong conclusions.’
‘But Alicia—’ she broke off with a start as the buzzer sounded in the hall. ‘Who’s that?’
‘I don’t know. My housekeeper’ll
Similar Books
