Love & Sorrow by Jenny Telfer Chaplin Read Free Book Online

Jack all to
herself and thus well clear of his mother’s apron strings Meg hummed happily.
Jack had also suggested it would be pleasant to start off their evening by
having high tea in the prestigious Ca’dora restaurant.
    Although Jack in his usual quiet, unassuming way had
made no other comment about his plans for the evening. Meg could not help
feeling that perhaps this would be the night…
    Surely a proposal of marriage would at last be
forthcoming? Meg frowned as she thought of the other false alarms of the last
few months, but tonight was her birthday, surely a good omen.
    Meg grinned at herself in the mirror as she gave a
final pat to her hair.
    Yes, my girl … tonight’s the night.

 
    Jack was already seated at a table and rose as Meg
entered the room, waving her across. The first thing Meg noticed was that the
table had three place settings, not two.
    Oh, well, she thought, Jack probably didn’t have the
foresight to ask for a romantic twosome and this was the table he was shown to.
    She settled herself comfortably and was just about to
put her handbag on the empty chair when she heard Jack say: “Aha! Here she
comes. The lady herself.”
    Meg turned to look at who was coming and Jack went on:
“Are you all right, mother? You seemed rather a long time in the lady’s powder
room.”
    With a victorious smile at Meg, Mrs Dunn reached
forward and, as if he were a naughty schoolboy, ruffled his hair with the
words: “Silly boy. Always worrying about your poor old mum. I don’t know what
I’ll do with you, Jackie.”
    She turned to Meg and twittered on: “He does worry so …
all this fuss. Just a little headache, nothing to speak of.”
    Meg on the point of blurting out: “Then why bother to
mention it, if it’s that unimportant?” was saved the disgrace as Mrs Dunn
continued: “No, I told Jackie a little thing like a headache wasn’t going to
stop me from joining you both for tea … especially when it’s such a special
evening … your birthday tea!”
    The last comment was delivered with such a ring of
triumph that Meg felt she was about to be physically sick. The idea of sharing
the meal with the possessive old harridan was more than she could bear.
    Meg slowly rose to her feet and looking down on mother
and son more in sorrow than in anger said: “You know what, Mrs Dunn, I do
believe there’s an epidemic of sick headaches going the rounds at the moment
and it now seems to be my turn.”
    She turned to Jack. “Sorry about this, Jack. I’m sure
your mother, herself a martyr to headaches, will fully understand my situation.
Anyway you only have two tickets for the concert. So please, you and your
mother enjoy both the concert and the meal. Goodnight.”
    With her head held high and, she hoped, her dignity
intact Meg made her way out of the restaurant. Walking along the bustling
city-centre street Meg was aware that in delivering both an unspoken ultimatum
and a challenge, she had taken the risk of terminating the ongoing courtship
and putting an end to the possibility of eventual marriage to her dear Jack.

 
    ***

 
 
 
    Chapter 15

 
    To Meg’s embarrassment and Petronella Martin’s delight,
the very next evening after the disastrous tea at the Ca’dora, Jack arrived on
the Martin doorstep with a request to see Meg in private. Petronella ushered
him into the parlour and rushed to Meg’s room with the news.
    Jack apologised profusely about the fiasco. It had not
been his intention to have his mother there for the tea, but she had invited
herself and he hadn’t known how to say no. It wouldn’t ever happen again.
    To Meg’s utter astonishment. Petronella bustled in with
a silver tea-tray set for two and, having placed it before them, with a
conspiratorial smile at Meg left them alone.
    Meg started to pour tea then almost dropped the pot as
Jack sank to his knees.
    “Meg, my dear, will you do me the honour of being my
wife?”
    Meg quickly put down the pot. “Oh, Jack, do get