The Flowering Thorn by Margery Sharp Read Free Book Online

was something in Lesley’s appearance—a businesslike elegance, an air of solvency—that went straight to their hearts. After a swift examination of premises, however—
    â€œI shall have with me,” added Lesley, “a small boy.”
    It was a phrase she had pitched on after considerable thought, but the effect on the housekeepers was not always happy.
    â€œA small boy, Madam?”
    â€œYes, four-and-a-half.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Madam, but we don’t take children.…”
    That was the first version. The second, proceeding smoothly past Patrick to the question of rent, lasted about five minutes longer, was terminated by Lesley instead of the housekeeper, and always on the same note.
    â€œIt’s charming, of course,” agreed Lesley, “but far too expensive.” The words were on her lips, in the course of that morning, at least five times. During the next few days they practically lived there.
    She was at last experiencing, in fact, the disadvantages of so small a town; for the residential districts as Lesley visualised them amounted to no more than a dozen square miles or so between Chelsea and the Regent’s Park. Within this desirable area lived all the people one knew, so that it was naturally rather crowded; but Lesley would no more have thought of looking over the fence, so to speak, than of booking a seat in the upper circle.
    In a moment of disquiet, however, she did wire to Paris to beg Tony’s hospitality for a further week: and with ten days’ grace instead of three returned once more to her round of house-agents.
    They all said the same thing.
    For the accommodation Madam required, and at the rent Madam was prepared to pay, Madam would probably do better to try the suburbs.
    Lesley listened incredulously: it was as though they advised her to try Australia. There were the suburbs, of course, through which one occasionally passed in a car, and where people out of Punch borrowed each other’s mowers: but as for living there—
    â€˜Impossible!’ thought Lesley; and so reached the disturbing conclusion that in the whole of London there was nowhere to live. All was impossible, Town outside the ring-fence, the suburbs outside Town; and so step by step, fighting every inch of the way, she was driven into the country.
    3
    â€œBut darling! ” exclaimed Elissa, with her first breath after the bombshell. “You surely don’t expect you’ll like it?”
    â€œOn the contrary,” replied Lesley, “I expect to loathe it. But it’s only till he goes to school.”
    â€œFour years, my dear!”
    Lesley shrugged.
    â€œUnfortunately, there’s no alternative.”
    For perhaps two minutes they smoked in silence. Then Elissa drove the stub from her holder, and said abruptly:
    â€œDarling—we all think you’re splendid, of course, but aren’t you being rather a fool? Surely you don’t intend giving up your whole life to the child? It’s—it’s unreasonable.”
    â€œIt’s hardly a question of ‘intending,’” said Lesley wearily. “I’ve taken the thing on and I’ve got to see it through. I can’t afford to see it through in Town, so I’ve got to see it through in the country. As I said before, there’s no alternative.”
    From Elissa’s second cigarette rose an immaculate smoke-ring.
    â€œBut darling—I may have got it wrong—but from what you first told me—you haven’t done anything actually legal , have you?”
    â€œNo, it didn’t seem necessary. There was no other claim, and I simply … undertook him.”
    â€œWell, then,” Elissa looked up, her long black eyes full of a bright lucidity. “Quite honestly, darling, wouldn’t it be better to face the facts and push him into a home?”
    At the other end of the couch her friend was perfectly still. ‘To get rid of him!’