house of women by Yelena Kopylova Read Free Book Online Page A

arrangements made."
    "They'll .... they'll have to be soon."
    "Yes, yes, I understand." He nodded, as though he were an authority in this matter.
    "It'll be all right, it'll be all right." His hand was on her shoulder now and she felt herself shrinking from it. She wanted to say, "Don't touch me," but that would have been silly when only a short while ago all she wanted was to be clasped in his arms, tightly. Would she ever feel like that again? Yes; she'd have to.
    "Come on," she said.
    She preceded him out through the door, across the passage and into the kitchen. And there they were as she had left them, for seemingly no-one had moved: Mr. and Mrs. Jones at one side of the table, her mother at the other, and Andrew's young sister still standing near the fire.
    "Well, then, what's the verdict?" As Mr. Jones asked the question Lizzie rose to her feet and, picking up her bag and gloves from the table, she looked as if she were about to walk straight out, for she already knew the answer. But she wasn't prepared for the addition to the answer and it halted her and her mouth dropped into a slight gape as her daughter, looking at Mr. Jones, said, "We've agreed to get married, but we want no interference ... from either side." And she turned slightly towards Andrew, her glance emphasising her words, and his mouth, too, was slightly agape as she went on, "We'll go along with whatever arrangements you decide between you, but once it's done well, we want to manage on ... on our own."
    Lizzie couldn't believe her ears. Her daughter had gone into that room a hang-dog girl, defiant and dead set against marriage, while at the same time knowing that it was inevitable. But out of that room had come this apparently young woman who was making conditions and it was that thought that prompted Lizzie now to say, "You're in no position, either of you, to give orders, or make conditions."
    "Oh, yes we are, Mam. We could both say no, couldn't we?" She turned and looked at her future husband, and he, as if imbibing courage from the fierceness of her glance, nodded and said, "Yes, she's right, we could both say no."
    When the burst of laughter hit the room all attention was diverted, not only to Mr. Jones, but to his young daughter, for as he leant back in his chair and let out a roar, Minnie's high-pitched laughter sounded hysterical.
    "Shut up! Stop it!" Mrs. Jones had sprung to her feet; then, turning to Peggy, she cried, "Who d'you think you are, miss, coming in here giving your orders! He's my son and he'll do what he's told."
    "He hasn't done so up till now." Lizzie's cool voice penetrated the woman's yelling.
    "I should imagine it was apparent to you. Our visit here today should point that out. And my daughter is right, there'll be no interference, not from our side, anyway." What was she saying?
    No interference from her side? There would be open war between this boy and her husband; and if the boy knuckled under to him his life would be hell; and if he didn't it would still be hell. But she wanted to be out of this house, away from these people.
    The husband and daughter were wiping their eyes, and now it was the man who spoke again. The rumbling laugh still in his voice, he looked at Peggy, saying, "I know who's going to wear the trousers in this union.
    Good luck to you, lass."
    It came to Peggy at this moment that this man didn't like his son; this was a divided house, father and daughter, mother and son. She was glad she hadn't a brother. But then, hadn't Charlie always been like a brother to her?
    Her mother was now saying to Andrew, "If you'll come around, we'll talk of arrangements."
    "Yes, we definitely will." His mother was shouting again. But a bawl from her husband silenced her, and his forearm thrust her back into her chair as he said, "Enough! woman. Enough! Goodbye, missis.
    Goodbye, lass. " He was nodding towards them.
    "See them out, Andy. See them out."
    The boy went before them now, through the passage and to the front