Gordon Williams by The Siege of Trencher's Farm--Straw Dogs Read Free Book Online

presumed led to their bedrooms. Through the small window over the kitchen sink she could see the roof of her blue Zephyr. She felt embarrassed. Mrs. Hedden came back from the other part of the house, Janice’s screams still faintly audible.
    “Will she be all right? I’m afraid I must have frightened her, I know what they’re like at that age with strangers.”
    “Oh, it wasn’t you,” said Mrs. Hedden, weary yet patient. “It’s one of her fits, that’s all.”
    “What causes them, do you know?”
    “The doctors called it somethin’, I can’t remember the right name of it. She’s never been right like. They say she might get over it in time – I don’t think they know no better than we do. Tom wanted her put away in a home but they said she ain’t bad enough to go in one of they places. Sometimes she’s all right. You get used to her.”
    It was impossible to bring up her complaint about Bobby. Louise left. No reason for her visit was given or asked. The next time the bus came for Karen she had a word with Mr. Hodgson, the driver.
    ‘Them Heddens is all the same,” he said, shrugging. “I know what I’d like to do to them.”
    “But you will try to see Bobby doesn’t bully the younger ones?” Louise asked. “It’s too bad, I can’t have my child coming home crying.”
    “Kids are always fighting or something,” said Mr. Hodgson. “I tell ’em but they take no heed.”
    Still, Louise thought he would probably try to keep an eye on Bobby in future – and there was always the happy thought that Bobby was leaving school at Christmas. She persuaded George that it would be ridiculous for them to stop Karen using the bus because of what was only childish bickering. George had been very bad-tempered.
    “If it happens again I’ll go to the headmistress,” he said. “And if she won’t do something I’ll drive Karen to school myself. What’s wrong with these people, they think children are cattle or something?”
    “It’s important Karen isn’t made to feel different from theothers,” was Louise’s clinching argument. She knew George. Like most Americans, even sophisticated ones, he had a horror of that sort of thing.
    When she did see a few berries the birds had missed, Louise tried to jolly Karen into some kind of enthusiasm, but neither of them could reach the branch through the tangle of thorns.
    “I’m sure you’ll soon grow to like it here,” she said to Karen as they walked home through the snow. Even as she spoke she noticed the sun had disappeared in a thick, dull sky.
    “Mother, who would do that to our cat?” Karen asked.
    Louise had hoped this had been forgotten.
    “I don’t know, darling, we can get another cat. I’ll race you to the house.”
    After lunch, which they ate quietly, each seemingly pre-occupied, George said he was going back to his study.
    “I thought we’d wrap up the presents,” Louise said.
    “You and Karen can do that, I really must work,” said George, rising from the kitchen table.
    “Can’t you leave silly old Branksheer for an hour or two – at Christmas?” she replied, irritation in her voice. It was like him, to disappear whenever there was any unpleasantness in the air.
    “He isn’t silly, honey,” said George, with his annoyingly pleasant voice, the one he used when he was at his most sanctimonious. “He’s our whole reason for being here.”
    “He isn’t my reason. I’ve got a lot of things to do for Jeremy and Sophia coming. If you don’t want to wrap presents why don’t you and Karen take a walk up to the Knapmans? I said we’d collect our turkey today.”
    “I’m behind with my work as it is, Louise, I –”
    “Oh God, can’t you forget your work for once ? It’s Christmas on Friday, or had you forgotten?”
    “Of course I haven’t forgotten, honey. I’m going to lose three or four days’ working time as it is, I really should get on with –”
    “Oh, for heaven’s sake! Can’t you behave like a normal