Wives & Mothers

by Whitmee, Jeanne

  ‘Is there any call for that kind of thing?’ he asked. ‘In the States, yes, but here in England I thought families rather liked doing all that for themselves.’

  ‘We believe it would go well,’ Elaine said positively. ‘Anyway, we’d like to give it a try.’ She looked at him. ‘You did suggest I got a job, Paul. And if Tricia is going away to school...’

  ‘Yes, yes. You’re going to be bored, I know.’ He pulled off his glasses again to frown at her impatiently. ‘You’re very naive about these things, Elaine. What business knowledge do you have? And how do you think you’re going to start up a business like that — without money?’

  She cleared her throat. ‘Alison has the business experience, and as for the money — well — that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I wondered if we might...’ She stopped, her heart sinking as she saw his expression.

  ‘Put good money into a hare-brained scheme like that?’ he laughed dryly. ‘Not me, Elaine. My money is much too hard-earned to throw it down the drain. And believe me, that’s what it would be.’ He sighed with exaggerated tolerance. ‘Why not do as I suggested, Elaine — volunteer your services for the Friends of the Hospital or something? I’m sure they’d be delighted to have you. And now, I really must get on with this, if you don’t mind.’

  Elaine picked up the tray and left the room, closing the door behind her. So that was that. Well, she hadn’t really held out much hope of getting any support from Paul anyway. In the kitchen she washed up the cups and put them away. She was just hanging up the teacloth when a voice behind her startled her.

  ‘Elaine — I couldn’t help overhearing...’

  She spun round in alarm. ‘Mother! You made me jump. I thought you were in bed.’

  ‘I came down for a hot water bottle. I felt chilly. I couldn’t help overhearing what you were discussing with Paul as I passed the study.’

  Elaine bit back a tart remark. The doors of the old house were so thick that Mary would have had to press her ear to the door of Paul’s study in order to overhear.

  ‘I think your idea sounds very interesting,’ Mary went on with a smile. ‘I’m more than tempted to put some money into the scheme myself. I’d have to hear more details, of course. But I’m sure I could help you a lot with ideas as well as money. After all, I haven’t lived for sixty-eight years without gaining a little experience.’ She smiled expectantly at Elaine.

  ‘No, thank you, Mother.’

  The smile evaporated. ‘What do you mean — no, thank you?’

  ‘Just what I say. At present we want to try to do it by ourselves.’

  ‘But you were asking Paul for money.’

  ‘Paul is my husband.’

  ‘And I’m nothing to you, is that it?’

  Elaine looked at her mother-in-law’s glinting eyes and reddening face and knew she must stand her ground firmly. ‘It’s very kind of you to offer,’ she said evenly, ‘but I’m not alone in this. There’s Alison to consider too.’

  ‘Then why don’t you ask her what she thinks?’

  ‘Because I know what her answer will be. We want to make a go of it on our own.’

  ‘Very well.’ Mary turned and flounced towards the door. ‘But Paul won’t change his mind, I can assure you, and you’ll soon find that floating a business without money is a non-starter. If you go to the bank you’ll find yourself paying back all your profits in interest, whereas my loan would be almost interest-free.’ At the door she paused. ‘You don’t deserve it, but I’ll keep the offer open for you. But if you change your mind, you’ll have to come to me and ask.’

  Elaine let out her breath as the door closed on her mother-in-law. ‘I’d have to be desperate before I’d come to you,’ she muttered under her breath. But where her share of the money was to come from to start the business she didn’t know. As she made her way upstairs her heart was heavy. It seemed she was doomed to be cooped up in this Victorian mausoleum at Mary’s beck and call for ever.

  She was almost asleep when the idea dropped into her mind. Instantly she was wide awake. Sitting up in bed she switched on the light. Of course! Why hadn’t she thought of it before? All the time the answer to her problem had been literally staring her in the face. She sat looking at the Severini on the opposite wall. It had been hanging there in Edna’s old room for so long that she barely saw it any more. It held too many painful memories for her ever to have become over-fond of it, yet because it had been Patrick’s parting gift she had never been able to bring herself to give it away.

  She stared at the dazzling mass of coloured dots and wondered for the first time if it were worth anything. Might she realise enough on it to make her contribution to the business? Who did she know who could tell her? There was one name that sprang immediately to mind. The prospect of approaching him brought her mixed feelings, but if she wanted an honest appraisal of the picture she must do it.

  *

  ‘Elaine, my dear girl.’ Red Carne seemed genuinely delighted to see her. He hadn’t changed much since the last time they’d met except that he had grown a beard, a luxuriant ginger affair that jutted assertively from his chin. He peered at her more closely.

  ‘It is Elaine, isn’t it?’

  She laughed. ‘Yes, it is. How are you, Red?’

  ‘I’m fine thanks. How are you? It’s been ages. Where have you been hiding yourself all these years?’

  ‘Oh, I’ve been around. Busy, you know.’

  ‘I do hear news of you from time to time when your mother pops into the shop.’ He rubbed his hands, smiling delightedly. ‘So what can I do for you?’

  ‘I’ve got a picture I want to sell. Oh, I’m not asking you to buy it,’ she added hurriedly, ‘but I thought you might give me an idea of how much it’s worth. I haven’t a clue.’

  Red stroked his beard thoughtfully. ‘Mmm, you were wise to come to me in that case. There are some very unscrupulous people around. I wouldn’t like to see you getting ripped off. What kind of picture is it?’

  ‘A modern one. A Severini.’

  His eyebrows rose. ‘A Severini, eh? How did you happen to come by that?’

  Elaine blushed. ‘It was a present.’

  He smiled. ‘From someone who obviously thought a great deal of you. I hope you won’t think me inquisitive, Elaine, but why do you want to sell? It’d pay you to hang on to it. A picture like that is likely to increase in value.’

  ‘I want to go into business and I need the money.’

  ‘Well, that’s an honest, straightforward answer. Do you have it with you?’

  ‘Yes. It’s in the car. I’ll get it.’

  In the room at the back of the shop, Red studied the picture for a long time. ‘It’s a very nice example,’ he said a last. ‘Very nice indeed. And naughty of you never to have had it insured. Of course, it’s very “sixties”; not everyone’s cup of tea. I think your best bet would be to approach one of the museums.’ He looked at her, noting her doubtful expression. ‘Would you like me to handle it for you?’

  ‘I was rather hoping you’d say that. It would be marvellous of course but...’

  He smiled. ‘You’re worried about what I’ll charge you. Don’t worry, I don’t sting old friends. It’s an interesting painting. I’ll be curious to see how it goes myself. Let’s call it quits.’

  ‘Oh, Red, I couldn’t.’

  ‘Well, I’ll tell you what — bring that small daughter of yours to see us one of these days. Zoe is always talking about you. She’s missed having you around.’

  It was just three days later that he rang her.

  ‘Elaine, I’ve got some news for you.’

  ‘The picture?’ She held the receiver tightly, hardly daring to hope for a sale.

  ‘After you’d gone the other day I remembered a chap I know — a collector of modern art. I gave him a ring and he’s been in to see the Severini. He’s fallen head over heels in love with it.’

  Elaine held her breath. ‘He’s made an offer?’

  ‘He certainl
y has.’ He named a figure that almost took Elaine’s breath away.

  ‘Red,’ she breathed, ‘it can’t be worth all that.’

  He chuckled at the other end of the line. ‘Clearly it is to him. He’s besotted with that particular school. I’ve got the cheque here now. I had it made out to you. So any time you’d like to come and collect...’

  ‘Oh, Red, I can’t thank you enough. It means a great deal to me. And I must insist that you let me settle with you.’

  ‘Nonsense. All I did was make one phone call. Just remember your promise to come and see us.’

  ‘I will. Thanks again, Red. I’ll see you soon.’

  Just before she dropped the receiver back on to its rest she heard a tiny clink. She’d heard it before at the end of her telephone calls and she knew only too well what it was. Mary had been listening in on the extension in Paul’s study.

  *

  Alison was amazed at Elaine’s windfall.

  ‘You must invest it at once,’ she said as they sat over tea in her old room at the Lintons’ house. ‘We’ll only use what’s absolutely necessary. With what I can put in too we should be fine until we get on our feet. Now listen, things are moving. Mum has suggested we use a room here at home as our temporary headquarters. She’s got the house to herself now and she’d be glad to have us around all day. We could turn the morning room into an office. She says her contribution will be to make us endless cups of coffee and hot dinners to keep up our strength.’

  ‘My mother will help too,’ Elaine said excitedly. ‘She still has her contacts in the fashion world. She’s been on to someone who’ll let us have some dresses at cost price to start us off.’ She looked uncertainly at Alison. ‘I did think I might make some too. If you think my work would be good enough.’

  Alison shook her head. ‘One thing you’re going to have to ditch is that inferiority complex. Of course your dresses will be good enough. You always were clever with design and your needle. Now...’ She opened a businesslike-looking notebook. ‘First, the groundwork. I suggest that we start by making a tour of the following places. The idea is to get favourable terms in exchange for putting business their way. Of course we’ll do it all ourselves once we’re established and can afford to employ people, but for now we’ll have to hire outside help.’

  The list she put in front of Elaine included florists, car-hire firms, printers and photographers. ‘We can do the catering ourselves, of course,’ she said confidently.

  Elaine looked at her. ‘We can?’

  ‘Of course we can. Our training has got to be good for something. It’ll be a doddle, and anyway I had some experience of catering in the States. Mum will let us have the use of the kitchen here. She has a huge freezer we can use, so we can keep stock of all the freezable things. She’s even offered to help with some of the cooking too.’ Unable to contain herself, Alison got up and did a little dance. ‘Oh, Ellie, it’s all going to be fabulous, I know it is. A couple of years from now we’ll be famous. We’ll have a fleet of white Rolls-Royces and our elegant society weddings will be the talk of the county.’

  ‘I suppose I should tell you, I had another offer of help,’ Elaine confessed. ‘But I’m afraid I turned it down.’

  Alison stared at her. ‘You turned down an offer — why, for heaven’s sake?’

  ‘It was from Paul’s mother. She helped Morgan start his business, if you remember, but he and Mum paid the price and we would have too. She made life intolerable for Morgan. He had the devil’s own job shaking her off. She tried to run him and his firm as well.’

  ‘Ah, I see.’ Alison looked wistful. ‘Still — it must have been tempting.’

  Elaine shook her head. ‘You wouldn’t say that if you knew Mary as I do. Much better for us to be independent, even if we take longer to get off the ground.’

  Alison nodded. ‘Fair enough. You know best. So what are we going to call ourselves?’

  They sat for an hour with pencil and paper, arguing good-naturedly as they had in the old days, racking their brains for ideas, some serious, some so frivolous that they collapsed with laughter. Finally Elaine came up with something that satisfied them both. ‘Let’s call it “Happy Ever After”,’ she said.

  Alison snapped her fingers. ‘That’s it.’ She smiled ruefully. ‘There’s a sort of delicious irony about me running something with a name like that?’ She looked at Elaine. ‘I’ve just had a thought. You won’t go and start another baby just as we get ourselves off the ground, will you?’

  Before she could stop herself, Elaine had said vehemently: ‘That’s extremely unlikely.’

  Alison regarded her friend for a moment in silence, then she said quietly: ‘You know, ever since I came home I’ve known there was something. Want to talk about it?’

  Elaine lifted her shoulders resignedly. ‘Oh, it’s nothing much. Put it down to having my mother-in-law living with us.’

  ‘No, you can’t fob me off with that. There’s more, isn’t there?’ There was a pause, then Elaine said: ‘Paul and I have what the Victorian novels used to call a “marriage in name only”.’

  Alison frowned. ‘You mean he doesn’t — you never...?’

  ‘We’ve had separate rooms for ages now. I don’t think it will ever change.’

  ‘Is there any special reason?’

  Elaine shrugged. ‘Paul says it’s because he’s a light sleeper. I keep him awake. He gets head-aches.’

  ‘You poor love.’ Alison looked concerned. ‘But things must have been all right once. You had Tricia, after all.’ Elaine was silent and Alison wondered if she’d said too much. ‘Is it hard for you, love?’ she asked gently. ‘Maybe there’s some sort of counselling you could have.’

  ‘No. Paul would never agree to that. Anyway, I don’t really want things to be any different now.’

  ‘You mean you don’t love him any more?’

  ‘I mean I never really have.’ Elaine twisted her fingers together in her lap. ‘Sometimes I feel this is a kind of punishment. I should never have married Paul. Perhaps I was unfair to him.’

  ‘Then why did you?’ When Elaine made no reply she asked: ‘Have you thought of calling it a day? After all, you’re only young. You can’t go through life like this, Ellie — tied to a man you don’t love, and who doesn’t seem to want you either. From what you say it shouldn’t be too difficult to get a divorce.’

  Elaine shook her head. ‘It doesn’t really bother me any more. And Tricia needs security. Better to leave things as they are.’

  But Alison was really disturbed by Elaine’s attitude. ‘Ellie, you can’t let yourself be dependent on a man who neglects you. Then there’s his awful mother. Suppose you met someone else? Come on, love, surely you’d rather be independent?’

  Elaine looked up at her friend, suddenly seeing the width of the gulf that had grown between them. Alison had done so much — true, much of her experience had been painful, but nevertheless she had tasted life, she had lived. She had seen something of the world outside; fought and overcome tragedy and freed herself to begin again — whilst she, Elaine, had let the pain of her first rejected love bring her life to a close, almost before it had begun. She forced herself to smile.

  ‘Of course I’d rather be independent. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of. But as for meeting another man — I won’t, Ali, because I don’t want to. With a bit of luck my independence starts here, thanks to you.’

  ‘No.’ Alison shook her head firmly. ‘Don’t thank me. You’re putting your share into the business. We’re partners in every way. It’s up to both of us to pull our weight if we want it to work. And we will, won’t we?’

  Elaine reached out to grasp Alison’s hand, her heart lifting. ‘Yes, we will.’

  *

  St Cecilia’s School was housed in a lovely mellow red brick Georgian house on the fringe of a Hertfordshire village. It stood in its own wooded grounds and as far as Elaine could see there were no drawbacks at all. The staff were pleasant, the pupils seemed charming an
d well behaved, and the standard of music was quite impressive. Tricia sat her academic entrance exam in the morning, after which she was free to look around the school with her parents. After lunch the musical auditions were held, at which parents were allowed to be present.

  Privately Elaine thought Tricia had never played better. She performed the set piece, which she had been practising at home, and managed the sight-reading without any problems. The theory questions she answered correctly and without hesitation. The music mistress seemed delighted.

  Tea was taken on the lawn along with all the other prospective pupils and their parents, then it was time for each child to see the headmistress individually. Finally it was time for the parents to receive her verdict. Paul and Elaine were ushered into her study, where Miss Gaynor, the Head, invited them to take a seat.

  ‘Patricia is extremely talented,’ she pronounced. ‘Musically she is quite outstanding for her age, and she has a pleasing personality.’ She pursed her lips. ‘Academically she is not quite so gifted, but one can’t have everything and she is still very young. I’m sure she will improve with individual attention.’ She smiled. ‘All in all, we should be delighted to enrol her at St Cecilia’s in September. She is just a little under age, but with her outgoing personality I feel sure she will cope.’

  *

  Tricia chattered excitedly all the way home in the car. She had loved everything about St Cecilia’s and had already made friends with several of the pupils.

  ‘Did you see the hall where they have the concerts? You’ll be able to come to those,’ she said. ‘And I’m going to learn to play a wind instrument too. I think I’ll choose the saxophone,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘Then I could get a job in a band and play jazz too.’

  Paul glanced disapprovingly at Elaine and asked: ‘Why do you want to play jazz? I thought you were all for the classics.’

  ‘My grandfather played jazz music,’ Tricia said solemnly. ‘Granny Grace told me all about it. He played with some of the best bands there were, in the olden days when Granny was young.’ She leaned forward in the car to slip her arms around Elaine’s neck. ‘I wish I could see him, Mummy. Why does he never come to see us? Does he know about me?’