Read Online Ultimate Prizes by Susan Howatch - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Howatch
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earth will life be like at the Theological College once that pirate prances through the front door?”
“I prophesy charismatic wonders, incense in the College Chapel and a collective nervous breakdown for the remaining staff. And talking of nervous exhaustion … Am I forgiven for speaking my mind to you about Grace last night?”
“Of course.”
“I really am sorry if I upset you, Neville.”
“My dear Alex, let’s ring down the curtain on the scene and forget all about it!”
“Very well, but before the curtain finally reaches the ground, may I just ask if you’re taking my advice about bearing Grace off on a second honeymoon?”
“Drop the subject, Alex, there’s a good fellow—just drop it,” I said, brandishing a voice of steel alongside my friendliest smile, and he hastily began to talk of other matters.
But that night in the bedroom I found myself saying to Grace: “How would you like a week’s rest before the school holidays begin? We could leave Primrose and Sandy in Manchester with Winifred and go to a hotel in the Lake District.”
Grace, who had been brushing her hair, paused to stare at me in the triple mirror. “But is it still possible to take holidays there?”
“I’m sure it is. Holiday-makers are only banned from the south and east coasts.”
“But I couldn’t possibly leave Sandy with Winifred! He’d wear her out.”
“Maybe she wouldn’t mind being worn out in order to give you a rest! After all, you’re always saying what a wonderful sister she is.”
“Yes, but she’s not as patient as I am, and—”
“No one’s as patient as you are with that little monster! Personally I think a touch of impatience now and then would do him no harm at all!”
“But Neville—”
“Why are you beating around the bush like this? The issue’s really very simple: Do you or don’t you want a second honeymoon?”
“I suppose I’ll have to say I do, won’t I?”
“For heaven’s sake!” I exclaimed, no longer making an effort to conceal my exasperation. “What sort of answer’s that?”
“The sort of answer which I’m sure you require of a perfect wife.”
“Grace, if you weren’t so constantly obsessed with perfection you wouldn’t make such ridiculous statements!”
“ I obsessed by perfection? But Neville, you’re the one who’s obsessed! You—chasing the prizes of life, never able to rest, never being satisfied—”
“What rubbish—of course I’m satisfied! I’ve got the perfect wife, the perfect home, the perfect family—I’ve won all the ultimate prizes of life! Well, nearly all of them—”
“Darling, listen to me.” Rising to her feet, she turned her back on the triple mirror and we faced each other. “I’m not a prize. I’m a person. I can’t just be kept in a glass case on a mantelshelf. I have to move in the real world, and in the real world I can’t be this perfect wife of your dreams. I do try to be—I keep trying and trying—I try so hard because I don’t want to disappoint you, but—”
“You could never disappoint me.”
“No? Supposing I tell you that I don’t want to go away to the Lake District unless we take Sandy and Primrose with us? Darling, we simply can’t dump them on poor Winifred for a week! It’s just not fair to her, and besides I wouldn’t enjoy myself—I’d spend my whole time worrying in case they were unhappy. I admit I do want a rest, but I’d much rather wait until our family holiday in July.”
“Very well.” I turned away.
“Neville—”
“No need to say another word. You’ve spoken your mind and I still think you’re perfect. Happy ending. Now let’s ring down the curtain on the scene and forget I ever mentioned the idea,” I said in the most equable voice at my command, and withdrew at once to my dressing-room.
5
I found myself unable to concentrate on the evening office, and an attempt to pray proved futile. However when I eventually returned to the bedroom in my pyjamas,
“I prophesy charismatic wonders, incense in the College Chapel and a collective nervous breakdown for the remaining staff. And talking of nervous exhaustion … Am I forgiven for speaking my mind to you about Grace last night?”
“Of course.”
“I really am sorry if I upset you, Neville.”
“My dear Alex, let’s ring down the curtain on the scene and forget all about it!”
“Very well, but before the curtain finally reaches the ground, may I just ask if you’re taking my advice about bearing Grace off on a second honeymoon?”
“Drop the subject, Alex, there’s a good fellow—just drop it,” I said, brandishing a voice of steel alongside my friendliest smile, and he hastily began to talk of other matters.
But that night in the bedroom I found myself saying to Grace: “How would you like a week’s rest before the school holidays begin? We could leave Primrose and Sandy in Manchester with Winifred and go to a hotel in the Lake District.”
Grace, who had been brushing her hair, paused to stare at me in the triple mirror. “But is it still possible to take holidays there?”
“I’m sure it is. Holiday-makers are only banned from the south and east coasts.”
“But I couldn’t possibly leave Sandy with Winifred! He’d wear her out.”
“Maybe she wouldn’t mind being worn out in order to give you a rest! After all, you’re always saying what a wonderful sister she is.”
“Yes, but she’s not as patient as I am, and—”
“No one’s as patient as you are with that little monster! Personally I think a touch of impatience now and then would do him no harm at all!”
“But Neville—”
“Why are you beating around the bush like this? The issue’s really very simple: Do you or don’t you want a second honeymoon?”
“I suppose I’ll have to say I do, won’t I?”
“For heaven’s sake!” I exclaimed, no longer making an effort to conceal my exasperation. “What sort of answer’s that?”
“The sort of answer which I’m sure you require of a perfect wife.”
“Grace, if you weren’t so constantly obsessed with perfection you wouldn’t make such ridiculous statements!”
“ I obsessed by perfection? But Neville, you’re the one who’s obsessed! You—chasing the prizes of life, never able to rest, never being satisfied—”
“What rubbish—of course I’m satisfied! I’ve got the perfect wife, the perfect home, the perfect family—I’ve won all the ultimate prizes of life! Well, nearly all of them—”
“Darling, listen to me.” Rising to her feet, she turned her back on the triple mirror and we faced each other. “I’m not a prize. I’m a person. I can’t just be kept in a glass case on a mantelshelf. I have to move in the real world, and in the real world I can’t be this perfect wife of your dreams. I do try to be—I keep trying and trying—I try so hard because I don’t want to disappoint you, but—”
“You could never disappoint me.”
“No? Supposing I tell you that I don’t want to go away to the Lake District unless we take Sandy and Primrose with us? Darling, we simply can’t dump them on poor Winifred for a week! It’s just not fair to her, and besides I wouldn’t enjoy myself—I’d spend my whole time worrying in case they were unhappy. I admit I do want a rest, but I’d much rather wait until our family holiday in July.”
“Very well.” I turned away.
“Neville—”
“No need to say another word. You’ve spoken your mind and I still think you’re perfect. Happy ending. Now let’s ring down the curtain on the scene and forget I ever mentioned the idea,” I said in the most equable voice at my command, and withdrew at once to my dressing-room.
5
I found myself unable to concentrate on the evening office, and an attempt to pray proved futile. However when I eventually returned to the bedroom in my pyjamas,
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