years, since Fred had always given in to her. But now Clemence was insisting on his support, and he was very much afraid he was finding her a bore. For Godâs sake, why not let Ellen and her friend go down to Meadowcroft? At least they would know where Ellen was. And what more could they say to Angel but to reprimand her and tell her to behave herself in future?
What was done was done, and unless the girl had got herself in trouble, then no harm was done. Fred suddenly went cold at the thought, and refused to think about it. Therewas no point in meeting that kind of trouble halfway.
âAre you going to give me your support or not, Fred? You seem to be in a world of your own these days. I think you should stop going to Yorkshire so often. Youâre not as young as you were, and these long journeys do tire you out. Either that, or let Charles drive you as heâs paid to do.â
Fred became alert at once.
âNonsense. Iâm perfectly capable of driving myself anywhere I want to go,â he said tartly. âBesides, how would you get in and out of town without Charles driving you in the Sunbeam? Iâd much rather leave you in his capable hands, old girl, than have you in and out of taxi-cabs all the time. One hears such odd things at times about the driver fellows.â
He didnât need to look at her face to know that she would agree with him instantly. Clemence really was a dreadful snob. She had passed it down to their eldest daughter, Louise, and sometimes the two of them were insufferable. At least his other girls were more down to earth, even if one of them had progressive ideas, and the other one was growing up and away from him at the same time.
He felt a swift sorrow, knowing that it was bound to happen, and in his heart he wouldnât want to stop it. But Angel was no longer his little girl. In one swift exchange of glances earlier that day, he had seen that she was a woman.
And later that afternoon, two things happened that were to make the decision for the future crystal clear.
Chapter 4
Louise Bannister Crabb drove herself to her parentsâ house that same afternoon, braking the car with a screech of tyres that could only forebode bad news. Louise was normally a sedate and slightly nervous driver, and her husband Stanley rarely agreed to her taking out the car alone.
Fred frequently compared the two of them with Siamese twins rather than husband and wife. He doubted that the Hon. Stanley did much in the marital bedding department either, but if Louise was anything like her mother, she wouldnât be too bothered on that account.
He and Clemence were ostensibly reading the daily newspapers, each still wondering what to do about Ellen and Angel, when Louise burst in on them like a whirlwind.
âStanleyâs volunteered!â Her eyes were brilliant, her voice as shocked as that of a spoilt child deprived of its favourite plaything. Which on reflection, Fred thought, was exactly what she was.
Clemence jumped up at once, and put her arms round her eldest daughter.
âOh, darling, how wonderful. You must be very proud!â
Louise looked furious.
âMother, I thought youâd understand! Oh well, yes, I suppose I am a bit proud. I mean, King and Country, and all that. But I want him home! I donât want him in the trenches in France or wherever it is theyâre sending them ââ
âBut darling, heâll be an officer, surely? Heâll be in somecommand or other. They wonât put such a clever and well-connected young man in any danger!â
Fred wanted to fetch up. He listened to the two of them, extolling the virtues of his inept son-in-law, whose qualifications for brilliance centred mainly around his fatherâs money, horse breeding in his Hertfordshire home, and putting his horses to stud.
Which was possibly why he seemed to have no energy for what Fred suspected was an infrequent sex life of his own.
âIs there
What was done was done, and unless the girl had got herself in trouble, then no harm was done. Fred suddenly went cold at the thought, and refused to think about it. Therewas no point in meeting that kind of trouble halfway.
âAre you going to give me your support or not, Fred? You seem to be in a world of your own these days. I think you should stop going to Yorkshire so often. Youâre not as young as you were, and these long journeys do tire you out. Either that, or let Charles drive you as heâs paid to do.â
Fred became alert at once.
âNonsense. Iâm perfectly capable of driving myself anywhere I want to go,â he said tartly. âBesides, how would you get in and out of town without Charles driving you in the Sunbeam? Iâd much rather leave you in his capable hands, old girl, than have you in and out of taxi-cabs all the time. One hears such odd things at times about the driver fellows.â
He didnât need to look at her face to know that she would agree with him instantly. Clemence really was a dreadful snob. She had passed it down to their eldest daughter, Louise, and sometimes the two of them were insufferable. At least his other girls were more down to earth, even if one of them had progressive ideas, and the other one was growing up and away from him at the same time.
He felt a swift sorrow, knowing that it was bound to happen, and in his heart he wouldnât want to stop it. But Angel was no longer his little girl. In one swift exchange of glances earlier that day, he had seen that she was a woman.
And later that afternoon, two things happened that were to make the decision for the future crystal clear.
Chapter 4
Louise Bannister Crabb drove herself to her parentsâ house that same afternoon, braking the car with a screech of tyres that could only forebode bad news. Louise was normally a sedate and slightly nervous driver, and her husband Stanley rarely agreed to her taking out the car alone.
Fred frequently compared the two of them with Siamese twins rather than husband and wife. He doubted that the Hon. Stanley did much in the marital bedding department either, but if Louise was anything like her mother, she wouldnât be too bothered on that account.
He and Clemence were ostensibly reading the daily newspapers, each still wondering what to do about Ellen and Angel, when Louise burst in on them like a whirlwind.
âStanleyâs volunteered!â Her eyes were brilliant, her voice as shocked as that of a spoilt child deprived of its favourite plaything. Which on reflection, Fred thought, was exactly what she was.
Clemence jumped up at once, and put her arms round her eldest daughter.
âOh, darling, how wonderful. You must be very proud!â
Louise looked furious.
âMother, I thought youâd understand! Oh well, yes, I suppose I am a bit proud. I mean, King and Country, and all that. But I want him home! I donât want him in the trenches in France or wherever it is theyâre sending them ââ
âBut darling, heâll be an officer, surely? Heâll be in somecommand or other. They wonât put such a clever and well-connected young man in any danger!â
Fred wanted to fetch up. He listened to the two of them, extolling the virtues of his inept son-in-law, whose qualifications for brilliance centred mainly around his fatherâs money, horse breeding in his Hertfordshire home, and putting his horses to stud.
Which was possibly why he seemed to have no energy for what Fred suspected was an infrequent sex life of his own.
âIs there
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