Kind Hearts And Coronets Page #3

in that hideous suburban cemetery...

I made an oath that I would revenge

the wrongs her family had done her.

It was no more than

a piece of youthful bravado...

but it was one of those acorns

from which great oaks are destined to grow.

Even then I went so far

as to examine the family tree...

and prune it

tojust the living members.

But what could I do to hurt them?

What could I take from them...

except, perhaps, their lives?

I indulged for a moment

in a fantasy of all 12 of them...

being wiped out simultaneously

at a family reunion...

by my unseen hand...

of the penniless boy from Clapham being

miraculously transplanted to his birthright.

I even speculated

as to how I might contrive it.

But there were

other more urgent problems.

Mama's tiny income came from an annuity

and had died with her.

The problem ofhow to live

on 25 shillings a week was solved for me...

by an invitation from Dr. Hallward

to lodge with them.

It was galling to accept the status

of a poor relation...

but the certainty of seeing Sibella every day

was too tempting to be refused.

Louis, I'm so glad you accepted.

It was my idea, you know.

- I've brought you something.

- Oh, Louis, you shouldn't have.

You can't possibly afford it.

Oh, what a bother. There's Lionel.

See you at supper.

The next few years

brought many such heartbreaks...

but they also brought promotion-

laces and ribbons

at 30 shillings a week...

fabrics at 32 and six.

Finally, ladies'underwear at 35.

I decided that

if I was to be a draper...

at least I would not be

a suburban draper.

So I migrated to a large modern store which

hadjust been opened in the West End...

at the gigantic salary

of two pounds a week.

Every lunchtime I went to see

how my inheritance was proceeding.

Sometimes the deaths column

brought good news.

Sometimes

the births column brought bad.

The advent of twin sons to the duke

was a terrible blow.

Fortunately,

an epidemic of diphtheria...

restored the status quo

almost immediately...

and even brought me a bonus

in the shape of the duchess.

That summer

the Hallwards gave a party.

- Good evening, Sibella.

- Hello, Louis.

- You do look nice.

- So do you.

- Doesn't he, Lionel?

- Very.

Emboldened by her kindness to me...

I made a decision

I'd been toying with for some time.

Well, that's the last of them,

thank heaven.

- What an evening.

- I thought it was a very nice evening.

It may have been for you.

It's awful being a woman,

having to dance with a lot of dull men...

laugh at their jokes

while they're treading on your feet.

- I didn't tread on your feet.

- You're not dull.

- And your jokes are funny.

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