Read Online The Favourite Child by Freda Lightfoot - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Freda Lightfoot
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wife. What’s more, she has admitted to loving me, so I don’t give a brass farthing if she isn’t middle-class .’
Emily’s eyes seemed not to be entirely focused as she confronted her son. ‘Sneer as you may but being middle-class is the life she would have to lead as your wife. She would have standards to maintain, social engagements, a diary of charitable functions to fulfil, a house to run and you expect this - this street urchin to be a suitable candidate for such tasks?’
Edward gritted his teeth, clearly struggling to hang on to his patience. ‘Those are tasks that you have chosen to do, Mother. Jinnie can make her own choices.’
‘They are duties ! Your father isn’t just some tomfool overlooker, he’s the mill manager no less, with a position, nay status to maintain. You are out of your head if you imagine I will ever accept that girl, a trollop with a man for every day of the week I shouldn’t wonder, as my daughter-in-law. The very idea is monstrous!’
‘Nevertheless I will not give her up Mother. I mean to marry Jinnie without delay.’ Emily completely lost control and let out a great wail of distress as if the very idea of it were too dreadful to bear.
Bella hastily intervened, ‘I’m sure she isn’t like that at all, Mother. She’s really very sweet and can’t help being poor as a church mouse.’ Emily simply wailed all the louder.
‘Now then, let’s all try to keep calm, shall we?’ Simeon pronounced in his most pompous tones, looking about him in flustered desperation as if praying for deliverance when in fact no one seemed to be even listening to him.
Emily was certainly beyond listening to anyone. ‘I want that girl out of my house this instant !’
‘If she goes, then I go with her,’ Edward shouted back.
‘Happen it would be best if we set the subject to one side for a bit,’ Simeon suggested, attempting once more to placate, muffling Emily’s wails with a large white handkerchief as he fussed about her.’ What d’you say to that, eh? We’ll all sleep on it for a day or two. Take a breather, as it were.’
‘Two years isn’t very long, Edward. Besides, it will take Mother at least that time to plan the perfect wedding for you,’ Bella soothed, throwing a teasing smile in Emily’s direction to soften the words. It was not returned.
Edward’s expression was bleak as he watched his mother’s obvious distress, but Bella could see that he was weakening. ‘Two years! It seems like a life time.’
‘It’ll fly by. Till then you could walk out together, court her in the time-honoured way. Don’t you think Jinnie deserves that much at least?’
Edward cast his sister a sheepish smile. ‘I suppose I was denying her a bit of courting and I do want Jinnie to have the best wedding that money can buy. A proper bridal gown and everything.’ He was clearly warming to the scheme so that he didn’t recognise the glazed expression that still lingered in his mother’s eyes as he dropped a kiss on to her brow. ‘Two years then, and not a day longer. But we marry the minute Jinnie reaches eighteen, not a day later. She has no family of any sort, so you can stand in for her till then Ma, and be the mother she badly needs.’
‘You expect me to be that trollop’s mother ?’ Emily spluttered. It was the last straw. Anyone would have thought he’d asked her to dance naked in St Peter’s Square, so shocked was she by the suggestion. But it was clear there were to be no further arguments. The matter, so far as Edward was concerned, was settled.
His half demented mother was carried to her bed and tucked in with a hot water bottle. Bella administered a sleeping draft while Simeon declared she’d be as right as ninepence in the morning, before escaping to his study.
Not when she learns that all her fears are well founded, Bella ruefully admitted to herself.
On her way up to bed, she peeped in on Jinnie and found her sleeping as soundly as a child, which was what
Emily’s eyes seemed not to be entirely focused as she confronted her son. ‘Sneer as you may but being middle-class is the life she would have to lead as your wife. She would have standards to maintain, social engagements, a diary of charitable functions to fulfil, a house to run and you expect this - this street urchin to be a suitable candidate for such tasks?’
Edward gritted his teeth, clearly struggling to hang on to his patience. ‘Those are tasks that you have chosen to do, Mother. Jinnie can make her own choices.’
‘They are duties ! Your father isn’t just some tomfool overlooker, he’s the mill manager no less, with a position, nay status to maintain. You are out of your head if you imagine I will ever accept that girl, a trollop with a man for every day of the week I shouldn’t wonder, as my daughter-in-law. The very idea is monstrous!’
‘Nevertheless I will not give her up Mother. I mean to marry Jinnie without delay.’ Emily completely lost control and let out a great wail of distress as if the very idea of it were too dreadful to bear.
Bella hastily intervened, ‘I’m sure she isn’t like that at all, Mother. She’s really very sweet and can’t help being poor as a church mouse.’ Emily simply wailed all the louder.
‘Now then, let’s all try to keep calm, shall we?’ Simeon pronounced in his most pompous tones, looking about him in flustered desperation as if praying for deliverance when in fact no one seemed to be even listening to him.
Emily was certainly beyond listening to anyone. ‘I want that girl out of my house this instant !’
‘If she goes, then I go with her,’ Edward shouted back.
‘Happen it would be best if we set the subject to one side for a bit,’ Simeon suggested, attempting once more to placate, muffling Emily’s wails with a large white handkerchief as he fussed about her.’ What d’you say to that, eh? We’ll all sleep on it for a day or two. Take a breather, as it were.’
‘Two years isn’t very long, Edward. Besides, it will take Mother at least that time to plan the perfect wedding for you,’ Bella soothed, throwing a teasing smile in Emily’s direction to soften the words. It was not returned.
Edward’s expression was bleak as he watched his mother’s obvious distress, but Bella could see that he was weakening. ‘Two years! It seems like a life time.’
‘It’ll fly by. Till then you could walk out together, court her in the time-honoured way. Don’t you think Jinnie deserves that much at least?’
Edward cast his sister a sheepish smile. ‘I suppose I was denying her a bit of courting and I do want Jinnie to have the best wedding that money can buy. A proper bridal gown and everything.’ He was clearly warming to the scheme so that he didn’t recognise the glazed expression that still lingered in his mother’s eyes as he dropped a kiss on to her brow. ‘Two years then, and not a day longer. But we marry the minute Jinnie reaches eighteen, not a day later. She has no family of any sort, so you can stand in for her till then Ma, and be the mother she badly needs.’
‘You expect me to be that trollop’s mother ?’ Emily spluttered. It was the last straw. Anyone would have thought he’d asked her to dance naked in St Peter’s Square, so shocked was she by the suggestion. But it was clear there were to be no further arguments. The matter, so far as Edward was concerned, was settled.
His half demented mother was carried to her bed and tucked in with a hot water bottle. Bella administered a sleeping draft while Simeon declared she’d be as right as ninepence in the morning, before escaping to his study.
Not when she learns that all her fears are well founded, Bella ruefully admitted to herself.
On her way up to bed, she peeped in on Jinnie and found her sleeping as soundly as a child, which was what
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