Anne Severn and the Fieldings

e was annoyed with Anne because she insisted o

. He had had that before and had got better. Now he was getting worse, fast. For the last three days he couldn't keep down h

en like this b

h acute gastritis do get better. It's enough to make him die, every

what Anne

r from London: 10 Welbe

ear

igence that matters. Between Mother's wails and Jerrold's optimism I don

ys y

io

e had a

ear

ute gastritis. I wish you'd come down. Jerrold is heart-breaking. He won

affectiona

n

o Dr. Eliot Fielding, for

Jerrold told him he was a perfect idiot, rushing

"He hasn't got a chance with all you p

st against the general pessimism. His idea seemed to be that if he, Jerrold,

aid. "I can't make him out. He adores his fathe

ing in the lounge afte

e from his f

ou tell h

ar to think Uncle Robert won't get better. He's trying to make himself believe he will. I th

hat I shall do if he doesn't get better. I can't live without him. It's been so perf

she thought: "It just will

Eliot,"

the stairs. Adel

hat do you t

off. "I can't

nk he's

er

think there i

to him. Don't talk much to him. Don't let him talk

were alone. "You can tell," she said

uite horribly wrong. His temp

that

er

Jerry had

do

m, Eliot, than for any

ouble. It's the only thing he funks. And his funking it wouldn't matter if he'd stand and fa

is only

aying for it. Why, he won't face anything that's even a little unpleasant. He won't listen if you try to tell him. He won't read a book that hasn't a happy ending. He won't go to a play that isn't a comedy... It'

So sorry. But Jerry's sorry too.

making things worse for himself by holding out and refusing. Jerrold wi

er. I don't want it. I ca

t. He's

ng to save him

ry to. It would be the best t

not to

be any good. You don't want hi

, that's Uncle

and shut and Adeline came

t, come

ne heard Adeline sobbing hyst

an't. I can

self in. She had every appearance of running away from something. From some

s it?" s

astric ulcer. He's

unt Adeline had

tt in the car for Ransome. Then he'll hav

his was th

I want you to drive over to Medlicote and bring Jerrold

do any

thing she had ever had

ts. She could see Jerrold playing in the men's singles. He stood up to the net

him laugh. She saw him turn t

he saw he

while Jerrold stood by the door to keep his mother out. She was no good, Eliot said. She lost her head just whe

, slowly, supporting herself by the gallery rail. Her eyes were sore wit

he said. "You might go i

t you s

e. You can't think how awful. I daren't go in and see it again. I shouldn't be a bit o

n't go in

s wit

t and

nn

es

hat Anne should be w

all right. She

ll for Anne. He i

ter go awa

ell me how he is.

ked and

hite against the pillows, the back-drawn-mouth, the sharp, peaked nose, the iron grey hair, pointed with sweat, sticking to the forehead. A

an air of great competence and composure. She carried a white basin brimming with a reddish

nd he went back to the doo

she whispered.

his head. "B

end for m

es

re in Eliot's arms. He would have liked to have been in Eliot's place, close to him, close, holding him. As it was he could do nothing but stan

burned themselves dry and filled again. His hand clutched the

turally still, waiting. He was aware of the pattern of the window curtains. Blue parrots perched o

s standing beside the bed now, holdi

in the bucket in the bath-room. Break it up into li

s very careful and conscientious about the size, and grateful to Anne for giving him something to do. Then he went back again and took up his station at

sin and her towel ready. From time to time

oked round the room and spo

nt her?" E

upset her. Don't

eyes and ope

hat A

did you th

ow...I'm so

oke from a tender inar

errold-,

right arm unfolded itself and stre

." Jerrold took it. He could f

Anne came between them. Jerrold felt the slight thrust of her body pushing him aside. He saw her arms stretched out, and the white gleam of the basin, then, the haemorrhage,

half-shut lids, mouth ope

s hand on Jerrold's shoulder and led him out of the ro

, and through the hall and o

g back from Cheltenham; the lines of the beech trees opened fan

Somebody was going through the front rooms, s

k into the house t

ong the gallery to her room. Between the dark rails he could see her white skirt,

i

t seeing Anne. He would see her for ever through an atmosphere of pain and horror, moving as she had moved in his father's room. He couldn't see her any other way. This intolerable memory of her effaced all other memories, memories of the child Anne with the rabbit, of the young, happy Anne who walked and rode and played with him, of the strange, mysterious Anne he had fou

uffered again. And as his way had always been to avoid suffering, he avoided Anne. His eyes turned from her if he saw her c

d died in and from the people who had seen him die. He wanted ne

's death the letter came

takes a fancy to is bound to get on. He can't help himself. You're not afraid of hard w

you're stationed anywhere near us we ought to gi

d read this letter. "You're not going o

not

ve got the estate and you m

ter it. That's wha

here's no need for yo

need. I've

will be going abroad if Sir Martin Crozier takes him on. And if Colin

nt anywhere for an

am or Cambridge half the time

n't stand it here. I've

eaties he had one answer: He

t whom she found in his room packing to go

h me. And there's Anne going off with Jerrold. She may have him with her and I mayn't. She's taken everything from me. You'd have said

er, you know

e out yourself, Elio

couldn't stand i

e hadn't the s

She stood it because she never thought of her feelings. She o

re in love with her. She must take yo

ask her. You shouldn't say those things, Mot

appy woman in the world.

and it if

t to go,

nsibility. Your dear father didn't leave him the estate for him

you see why he wants to go? He can

o stand it.

that's all. He

ncerned. He doesn't think of other people and how ba

t you can't stop him. And I d

s they like. So can Anne. She and Jerrold can go off to India an

idn't go o

ng with him his hard, unhappy face

I didn't go,"

om here, to get away from everything that reminds me-I shall go off my head if I've got to rememb

d. You needn

. I wish you'd

's all right, Jer

u won't think me a brute if I

wanted to because of going out together and because of the chance of seeing y

-don't

here. And you may be stationed miles away. I'd rather go back to Ilford and d

e spoilt all y

here isn't any plea

what a cad you

understand. I felt the same about Auntie Adeline after Mother died. I didn't wan

go back on

out India itself. I hate Anglo-Indians and I simply loathe hot places. And Daddy doesn't want me out there, really. I shal

have cared wha

e than India to save Jerrold that pang of memory. Only, when it was all over and he had sailed