seventy-four pounds from Thomas?
So it has come to that. I had to explain that he is the father of the friend who lent me that sum.
She frowned and said: I don’t think your uncle will be very pleased .
· · ·
Shortly before luncheon there was a commanding rap at the front door. Mother and Betsy stared at each other in terror and it fell to me to venture into the hall and open the door. There stood a tall man-servant in livery holding out an envelope addressed to Euphemia from Mrs Quance. Mother and I were frantic with curiosity. Could it be about the famous tickets, we wondered.
I spent an hour packing and making ready to leave in the morning.
· · ·
As soon as Effie got back this afternoon I saw that her mood was transformed and she behaved to me in a perfectly friendly manner for the first time. That’s what makes me think it wasn’t just the tickets. Because of course that is what the letter was about. A pair was available for her and Mother. And that news was conveyed in a charming note from Mrs Quance in which she invited Effie and mother to tea on the Sunday after Christmas.
I was not named. Am I being snubbed or am I too unimportant to be remembered? To be snubbed is at least a form of recognition.
I said something about being sorry not to be going to the ball.
Of course you must come , Effie said graciously.
You’re forgetting that I will have gone long before the 9 th .
Why should you go? Effie exclaimed. Mother, Richard may stay, mayn’t he?
Here was a reversal indeed! I couldn’t decipher Mother’s expression. She studied Effie’s features. If you so wish , she said.
I do wish it , Effie said. Then she turned to me: I will ask Mrs Quance for a half-ticket .
Darling girl , Mother exclaimed. Can we afford it? It’s half a guinea. Let Richard take mine .
No, Mother. I’ll pay for all the tickets .
But there’s also the cost of the rooms and hire of a carriage .
I have an idea about that , Effie said mysteriously.
How could Effie find a guinea and a half?
Anyway , she said, think what we’ll save by dismissing Mrs Yass .
Are we dismissing her? Mother asked and her voice trembled.
Of course. She can’t cook . Then she looked at Mother meaningfully and said: And we don’t need her .
Dearest girl , Mother cried and jumped up and ran round and embraced her and kissed her. She sat down again almost in tears. What a relief it will be to have that woman out of the house .
Mother got excited at the prospect of a ball and put her hands over her head and executed a few mincing steps in what I suppose was the style of twenty or thirty years ago. Effie ran to the pianoforte and began to play an old-fashioned polka and Mother danced around the room. It was strange. I suddenly saw her as a girl in her teens. I turned away.
I caught Effie smiling at me. As she played she tossed her head and the hair fell against her cheek while all the time she kept her gaze on me.
· · ·
During dinner Effie offered to play duets with me since I now had my flute and so we played some little pieces together. Mother listened and said to Euphemia: I’m so glad that at least one of you has inherited my musical talent. When I was young I had a lovely voice. Everyone said so. I gave it up for you children, as I gave up so many of my pleasures .
I realised she was sobbing.
· · ·
When I reached out for my music earlier this evening, Effie’s hand touched mine and stayed there for a moment.
11 o’clock.
The reason for Euphemia’s changed mood must be that Davenant Burgoyne has proposed marriage. Mother knows and that is why she wept.
A ¼ past midnight.
Just now I heard raised voices. I crept down the stairs and found that Mrs Yass and Mother were arguing in the front parlour. I couldn’t make out the words.
Then Mrs Yass stormed into the passage followed by Mother. Just at the door of the kitchen, she turned and said: You’ve treated me bad and I’ve lost money by it, Mrs Shenstone. It’s not
So it has come to that. I had to explain that he is the father of the friend who lent me that sum.
She frowned and said: I don’t think your uncle will be very pleased .
· · ·
Shortly before luncheon there was a commanding rap at the front door. Mother and Betsy stared at each other in terror and it fell to me to venture into the hall and open the door. There stood a tall man-servant in livery holding out an envelope addressed to Euphemia from Mrs Quance. Mother and I were frantic with curiosity. Could it be about the famous tickets, we wondered.
I spent an hour packing and making ready to leave in the morning.
· · ·
As soon as Effie got back this afternoon I saw that her mood was transformed and she behaved to me in a perfectly friendly manner for the first time. That’s what makes me think it wasn’t just the tickets. Because of course that is what the letter was about. A pair was available for her and Mother. And that news was conveyed in a charming note from Mrs Quance in which she invited Effie and mother to tea on the Sunday after Christmas.
I was not named. Am I being snubbed or am I too unimportant to be remembered? To be snubbed is at least a form of recognition.
I said something about being sorry not to be going to the ball.
Of course you must come , Effie said graciously.
You’re forgetting that I will have gone long before the 9 th .
Why should you go? Effie exclaimed. Mother, Richard may stay, mayn’t he?
Here was a reversal indeed! I couldn’t decipher Mother’s expression. She studied Effie’s features. If you so wish , she said.
I do wish it , Effie said. Then she turned to me: I will ask Mrs Quance for a half-ticket .
Darling girl , Mother exclaimed. Can we afford it? It’s half a guinea. Let Richard take mine .
No, Mother. I’ll pay for all the tickets .
But there’s also the cost of the rooms and hire of a carriage .
I have an idea about that , Effie said mysteriously.
How could Effie find a guinea and a half?
Anyway , she said, think what we’ll save by dismissing Mrs Yass .
Are we dismissing her? Mother asked and her voice trembled.
Of course. She can’t cook . Then she looked at Mother meaningfully and said: And we don’t need her .
Dearest girl , Mother cried and jumped up and ran round and embraced her and kissed her. She sat down again almost in tears. What a relief it will be to have that woman out of the house .
Mother got excited at the prospect of a ball and put her hands over her head and executed a few mincing steps in what I suppose was the style of twenty or thirty years ago. Effie ran to the pianoforte and began to play an old-fashioned polka and Mother danced around the room. It was strange. I suddenly saw her as a girl in her teens. I turned away.
I caught Effie smiling at me. As she played she tossed her head and the hair fell against her cheek while all the time she kept her gaze on me.
· · ·
During dinner Effie offered to play duets with me since I now had my flute and so we played some little pieces together. Mother listened and said to Euphemia: I’m so glad that at least one of you has inherited my musical talent. When I was young I had a lovely voice. Everyone said so. I gave it up for you children, as I gave up so many of my pleasures .
I realised she was sobbing.
· · ·
When I reached out for my music earlier this evening, Effie’s hand touched mine and stayed there for a moment.
11 o’clock.
The reason for Euphemia’s changed mood must be that Davenant Burgoyne has proposed marriage. Mother knows and that is why she wept.
A ¼ past midnight.
Just now I heard raised voices. I crept down the stairs and found that Mrs Yass and Mother were arguing in the front parlour. I couldn’t make out the words.
Then Mrs Yass stormed into the passage followed by Mother. Just at the door of the kitchen, she turned and said: You’ve treated me bad and I’ve lost money by it, Mrs Shenstone. It’s not
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