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#1: Needed At Home Author: Róisín, Location: Gaillimh

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:06 am
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What does this mean?

I was thinking about it in relation to Alison's comments on Frieda in the Anne Seymour thread. In Frieda's case there are no small children at home to help with. In Jo's case, there are, but it's later said that she isn't needed because Madge has such a good nurse. I understand that they were wealthy and maybe didn't like to work (in case they deprived others of jobs) but in that case, couldn't they say that they were going to be 'in society'/ working on their hobbies/ working on charity etc etc. I just don't understand the meaning behind the phrase "needed at home".

#2: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:17 am
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Sometimes daughters, especially eldest or youngest daughters, would be expected to be companions to their mothers. The best example I can think of is Princess Beatrice being Queen Victoria's companion, although that's not really very CSish!

Or they might be needed to help run the house, if they had no mother or their mother couldn't cope - e.g. Elfie Woodward when her stepmother died, or Nita Eltringham as there were so many other kids and they couldn't afford a maid.

Or they might be needed to help with younger kids, e.g. Joey claiming that Madge needed her at Die Rosen (although Madge had Rosa!), or Blossom Willoughby saying that she had to be at home as her youngest brother was "delicate".

Someone - I can't remember who, but it was one of Tom Gay's crowd - was going to help her vicar father in his parish work, but I suppose that's not really the same thing.

In Frieda's case I think it was just a euphemism for just "being" at home!

#3: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:27 am
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I think Frieda would have been a companion for her mother too, although she has Aunt Luise doesn't she? It would be nice to see something of Frieda's betrothal in a filler because she just seems to marry out of the blue.

I suppose Peggy goes to keep her mother company too and sort of help out with the housework.

It must have been a huge adjustment actually!

#4: Author: Rowena, Location: NE England

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:31 am
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There's a book by Helen (thingy Shocked

the Liverpool Miss author) about this type of thing, "Mourning Doves"
The family actually had a second daughter with the specific intent of keeping her at home to look after her parents as they aged. The eldest daughter got to make her debut, was educated, and married off to a suitable man etc while the younger one got a basic education and nothing else. Helen (thing) does write a very depressing book, and looks at it very *harshly* but she definately implies that it was quite common for a daughter to be expected to give her own life up to her parents.

#5: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 12:37 pm
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Rowena wrote:

There's a book by Helen (thingy Shocked

the Liverpool Miss author) about this type of thing, "Mourning Doves"

Helen Forrester Very Happy

#6: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:42 pm
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Rowena wrote:

There's a book by Helen (thingy Shocked

The same thing happens in Like Water for Chocolate (which I actually hated). This time its the youngest daughter who's expected to stay at home and look after her mother in her old age.

#7: Author: Tan, Location: London via Newcastle Australia

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:27 pm
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Alison H wrote:

Rowena wrote:

There's a book by Helen (thingy Shocked

the Liverpool Miss author) about this type of thing, "Mourning Doves"

Helen Forrester Very Happy

I think Helen was probably writing from her own experience, particularly as she had to sacrifice her own schooling to look after her younger siblings. I found her story heart-breaking.

#8: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:39 pm
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This is not quite the same thing, but in Ireland at around the same time - and even now - one of the sons was expected to stay at home and take on the farm. In my dad's family, this was supposed to be the second son - as my father and my youngest uncle were deemed the "brains" of the family. My second uncle demanded to be let to college anyway, did an agriculture course but then refused to work on the farm. So it fell to my other uncle - my dad, as the eldest, had a job already. The youngest uncle is pretty happy on the farm, I think, and of course it is very important and worthwhile. But he's so incredibly intelligent, it would be interesting to see what he could have done if he'd been allowed to do what he wanted.

Even sadder than that, though - my neighbour, who is now about 65, went to the US when he was in his early 20s and had a job and a girlfriend over there. He came home on what was supposed to be a two week holiday - and his brother told him "You've had your time away, it's my turn now" and went back in his place. He took his job and his girlfriend (!) and my neighbour had to stay on the farm and mind his mother - he's been there ever since.

#9: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:08 pm
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My grandmother (born 1902) always expected my mum, who was the youngest daughter (out of 7 children, spread over 20 years) to stay at home and look after her in her old age. She was really miffed when Mum got married at the age of 22!

She took her miffed-ness out by throwing out most of Mum's stuff while Mum and Dad were on their honeymoon, inadvertantly miffing me by getting rid of all of Mum's hb Chalets and Oxenhams Shocked

#10: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:20 pm
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My mother, born 1905, was the oldest at home when her mother died and there were family ructions when she married my Dad. The rift never really healed and, after they moved South, her father ended up in lodgings as no one would take him in.

My mother fetched him to live with us and he lived with us till he died. about 15 years later when I was 10.

#11: Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 10:21 pm
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One of my relatives on my father's side trained to be a nurse, but she never got to actually work as one. Her mother died and she was expected to simply drop her desires and keep house for her father and older brother.

And this wasn't in the early part of the last century, this was in the middle of the 1960s!

Ray *grateful that times have changed*

#12: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 2:31 am
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My grandmother (born 1890) was the eldest girl in a family of eight. She was engaged before WW1 until her fiancé announced his plans to emigrate to Patagonia. Her mother told her that she couldn't go, as she had to help with the rest of the family. The engagement was broken. My grandmother married (not the same man) when she was in her early thirties - and her mother was furious as she had expected that she would remain the unmarried daughter. She still carried on looking after the various parts of the family that required it...

#13: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:18 pm
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Look at Beatrix Potter, her parents kept her at home to look after them, and even made her break off one relationship. And Vera Brittain's parent expected her to go home to look after them as their maid had left to do war work.

#14: Author: Sarah-D, Location: Cambs

Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:12 am
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There's a bit in Noel Streatfeild's A vicarage Family- have just gone to check. Her Aunt Sophie is talking to the children about Grand Nanny (her own nanny) and says something about 'nothing is the same as having your own family is it?' Noel Streatfeild's comment is: "None of the children was old enough to see the pathos of that statement from Aunt Sophie - condemned almost from birth to dedicating her life to her parents."

Sounds almost like slavery... though having said that several of my mother's friends did not marry and looked after their parents and seemed to have managed it with a much better grace than I could have done...

#15: Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:05 pm
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My mother's father died when she was 21, and ten years later when she wanted to get married, my grandmother kicked up a fuss - Mum was her only daughter, there were just the two of them at home and her mother expected her to stay at home indefinitely I think. This was in 1969 so not that long ago at all!

Nana isn't smiling on any of Mum and Dad's wedding photos Confused

- I am not sure she ever became completely reconciled to being a widow and living all alone, which is a terrible shame.

#16: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 4:01 pm
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One of my great aunts (my nan's sister)never married and looked after her mother until she died (not a task I'd envy her, because from all I've ever heard my great nan was an evil old bag - I never knew her, she died the day before I was born) and then she kept house for an unmarried brother until her own death.

#17: Author: jenah, Location: Canada

Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:34 pm
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It happened even in royal families too. Queen Victoria wanted her youngest daughter to remain unmarried and be her companion all her life. Fortunately Princess Beatrice had other ideas and married for love, although Queen Victoria insisted that they both live with her.

In the next generation, Queen Alexandra kept her middle daughter Princess Victoria at her side and would not let her marry. She died a rather bitter old maid, and was considered by some of her cousins to be little more than a "glorified maid" to her mother.

#18: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:34 pm
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I was always surprised that Blossom Willoughby was expected to go home to help out. her motherhad been a Head of department in a school before she married, her father was a barrister, and the frail young brother surely had enough care from his mother and nanny. From what I remember, they had a nanny, cook, maids and gardeners, so why on earth should she have been expected to spend her days at home? She was good at games, so ought to have gone to PE college, surely?

#19: Author: skye,

Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:03 pm
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Jennie wrote:

I was always surprised that Blossom Willoughby was expected to go home to help out. her motherhad been a Head of department in a school before she married, her father was a barrister, and the frail young brother surely had enough care from his mother and nanny. From what I remember, they had a nanny, cook, maids and gardeners, so why on earth should she have been expected to spend her days at home? She was good at games, so ought to have gone to PE college, surely?

To accompany her mother on social occasions and visits? Or to be a companion at home when no-one else was there to provide amusement? Her mother would not socialise with the staff and would not always be entertaining or being entertained so unless she sat alone she would need a companion.

#20: Author: macyrose, Location: Great White North (Canada)

Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 8:54 pm
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Jennie wrote:

Quote:

her motherhad been a Head of department in a school before she married,

Did Rosamund Atherton work before she was married? It's been a while since I read the La Rochelle books and I don't remember that. Which book was it in?

#21: Author: jennifer, Location: Taiwan

Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:21 am
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I'm not sure Blossom could have done PT training - she's good at games, but seems to be poor at academics generally, and would have had to done anatomy and so forth (as is stressed to other non academically inclined girls who wish to be PT teachers).

There's a point when the other girls are questioning what she would have done if her parents hadn't been able to support her at home, and she laughs and says 'gone charring' or something like that.

In the early days of the books, going home after marriage was fairly normal in rich enough families - getting a job was for girls whose families weren't well off. Even later, when university or other training was more acceptable it was seen as selfish for a girl from a well to do family to take a job away from someone who would need it, so getting the training was fine, but getting paid afterwards was optional.

In all this, though, and in attitudes for women working after marriage, women's work in the home was seen as the top priority. If you were married, or if your family needed help with younger children, or companionship, or someone to go to Australia with, that took precedent over any career aspirations or outside job.

#22: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 10:48 pm
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Rosamund Atherton's job is mentioned several times in the early La Rochelle books.

Re Blossom - I think she would have pulled up academically if she had known that she would have to have a training and get a job. I think a large part of it was idleness and carelessness from knowing she wasn't expected to work.

#23: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:15 am
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Isn't there a comment somewhere about Blossom's mother being 'delicate'? Maybe Blossom would take over the running of the house (a bit like Peggy expected to before Mollie's sister came to stay).

#24: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:52 am
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It'd be interesting to see how different some people's attitudes to work would have been if they hadn't known that they wouldn't have to earn their own livings.

#25: Author: Mel, Location: UP NORTH

Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:33 pm
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It's Blossom's brother Aubrey who is delicate. Her mother, Rosamund Atherton begins as as one of EBD's bright, beautiful, competent heroines who is Head Girl and goes to Somerville, but sadly, she is allowed to fade away.

#26: Author: Rosie, Location: Brest. Still amuses me...

Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:14 pm
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Alison H wrote:

It'd be interesting to see how different some people's attitudes to work would have been if they hadn't known that they wouldn't have to earn their own livings.

Well I wouldn't work if I didn't have too... In fact, I am startling myself with how little work I am doing out here where I don't have to pass!

#27: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:36 pm
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Jennie wrote:

I was always surprised that Blossom Willoughby was expected to go home to help out... the frail young brother surely had enough care from his mother and nanny. From what I remember, they had a nanny, cook, maids and gardeners, so why on earth should she have been expected to spend her days at home?

Recalling the discussion Joey had with ML about Frieda in Coming of Age, and how Frieda had become so worn down with the care of delicate Gretchen, maybe the idea was for Blossom to provide emotional support for her mother.

Jay B.

#28: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:43 pm
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I am not sure that I would like Blossom to support me in emotional need, she is not a very restful person.

#29: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:47 pm
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Kate wrote:

I am not sure that I would like Blossom to support me in emotional need, she is not a very restful person.

No, but she's a cheerful and happy go lucky person. If the house was a bit gloomy with everyone, and especially Rosamund, constantly worrying about Aubrey, she might lighten the atmosphere a bit.

Jay B.

#30: Author: Tiffany, Location: Is this a duck I see behind me?

Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:18 pm
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JayB wrote:

If the house was a bit gloomy with everyone, and especially Rosamund, constantly worrying about Aubrey, she might lighten the atmosphere a bit.

I'm surprised Rosamund felt she needed support at the expense of her daughter's independence. Young Rosamund is very independent and capable, and understanding of others' needs. Why must all nice girls turn into nondescript or non-nice mothers?

#31: Author: jennifer, Location: Taiwan

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:23 am
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Tiffany wrote:

JayB wrote:

If the house was a bit gloomy with everyone, and especially Rosamund, constantly worrying about Aubrey, she might lighten the atmosphere a bit.

I don't think she was sacrificing Blossom's plans, though, as Blossom didn't seem to have any. It would be different if Blossom were intent on a career of some sort (like Josette or Sybil or Jo Scott or Elfie Woodward) and had to sacrifice it to help her mother out at home.

I have the impression that if Blossom were graduating today, she'd be sent to university by her well to do parents, and would be a social butterfly at school - having a great time, not getting into any huge trouble, but skimming through the easiest possible courses to get a degree and not really thinking about her future.

#32: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:16 am
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In American census records, there's usually a column for "occupation." One thing I find interesting is that "at home" was used by some census takers to describe the occupation of daughters not employed outside the home. It's not at all common compared to "keeping house," but it reminds me of EBD.

#33: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 6:57 pm
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Tiffany wrote:

JayB wrote:

If the house was a bit gloomy with everyone, and especially Rosamund, constantly worrying about Aubrey, she might lighten the atmosphere a bit.

I don't think it was at the expense of Blossom's independence. Blossom seems to go through life expecting that she'll be looked after by her parents, she never shows interest in a career or anything. She has no expectations of being independent.

Most CS girls don't, even when they are planning on a career. They still rely on finacial support from their parents, unless they are having to help their parents - and then they're not independent as they have this parental burden.

What I find far more shocking is the way Elfie Woodward is expected at sixteen or something to go home and keep house for her father while she's still being educated. That made me mad.

#34: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 11:48 pm
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That annoys me too! IIRC Elfie tells Bride that it's her own decision, but she then says that her dad's said very little about it - he seems to be quite happy for her to pack in school and look after him, her 2 little brothers and the house at such a young age.

& couldn't Doris Carey (after Commander Carey died, but before she became ill) have told Mary-Lou that she didn't need looking after all the time, rather than let Mary-Lou drop out of university?

#35: Author: jennifer, Location: Taiwan

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:54 am
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Or look at Grizel. She's forced into a career she dislikes by an emotionally abusive father, and it's said that she can't manage on her own without financial support from home. She could have rebelled, but her job choices would be limited, and she certainly wouldn't have maintained the same standard of living or social class afterwards.

When Joey goes home she gets an allowance from Jem and Madge, plus room and board, and she has no other plans but hanging around home and working on some writing.

There are girls who are training for a job on the grounds that their parents can't afford to support them after their education is complete, but their parents do finance some sort of training so they can get a respectable job to keep themselves - university, secretarial training or so on.

I would guess that without any training a girl would be restricted to generally low paid jobs, or jobs in service - governess, shop assistant, mother's help, waitress and so on. Teaching jobs without anything beyond highschool would probably be harder to come by as time went one.

I would wonder about the girls who were called home to help for temporary reasons - a frail baby, young children at home, parents needing help with a move. What happened when the frail baby or young children grew older, and the girls were left with no training and were starting to get beyond the typical marrigeable age? Would the parents expect to keep them at home forever, and later provide for their care in their wills?

#36: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 10:32 am
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Alison H wrote:

That annoys me too! IIRC Elfie tells Bride that it's her own decision, but she then says that her dad's said very little about it - he seems to be quite happy for her to pack in school and look after him, her 2 little brothers and the house at such a young age.

Yes, but at the time, he's overwhelmed with grief at the death of his wife - I'm not sure he's capable of even thinking, let alone being strong with Elfie and insisting she goes back to school. At 16, she's old enough to leave legally, and being a Chalet Girl and not a spineless jellyfish, she sees what state the family is in and gets on with doing what needs to be done (quite apart from the fact that she is probably grieving for her step-mother too, so from that POV probably *wants* to be with her father and step-brothers, whom she no doubt loves dearly).

And when their first raw grief and shock has passed a little, some rational thought comes into play, and a new solution is found that enables Elfie to have another year at school.

Of all the reasons EBD has for girls leaving school suddenly, this seems to me one of the more realistic.

Caroline.

#37: Author: skye,

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:02 pm
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Loryat wrote:

What I find far more shocking is the way Elfie Woodward is expected at sixteen or something to go home and keep house for her father while she's still being educated. That made me mad.

I don't remember exactly what year this book is set in, but the official school leaving age was probably either 14 or 15. so she had already completed at least one year and probably two more years of education than a girl in a state school. I think the leaving age was raised to 16 around 1975 or 1976, so long after EBD died.

#38: Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:23 pm
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I think it's the last term of 1949.

#39: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:07 pm
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skye wrote:

Loryat wrote:

What I find far more shocking is the way Elfie Woodward is expected at sixteen or something to go home and keep house for her father while she's still being educated. That made me mad.

Yes, but not by CS standards. Very Happy

The girls there generally stay on till they're past that age, though there are a few exceptions.

I can understand that Elfie's dad is grieving etc, but that's no excuse. He should have told Elfie he wasn't having it! As it is he's quite content for her to sacrifice herself until the distant relative providentially turns up later on. It would have been better if Elfie had been having a term off to help with the family but was expected to return after a term when hopefully a housekeeper had been arranged or something. As it is, it seems like it would have been a good few years before Elfie got her life back. Mad

And aren't her brothers at school anyway, so it's just the dad who needs looking after? Evil or Very Mad

#40: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:21 pm
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You know, that's not the way I read things at all. Elfie herself says:

Quote:

‘Well, you see how it is,’ Elfie went on in a hard unnatural tone. ‘I don’t care if she was just my step-mother. I never knew my own and she’s been just like one to me. I can’t leave Dad and her two babies to just any old housekeeper. He’s all broken up and-and kind of dazed. And the boys keep on asking when she’s coming home. I can’t possibly leave them-you must see that.’

Can you imagine her being happy at school in those circumstances? I can't. And then Miss Dene says to Bride that it's only two weeks since the step-mother died, the family haven't time to see clearly yet, and that even if Elfie does stay at home, it will only be for two years and then she can go ahead with her career again (as she'll only be 18 at that point). EBD makes it quite clear (to me) that Bride is the one being overly sentimental and immature about Elfie's situation, rather than seeing the bigger, more adult, not-a-spineless-jellyfish picture.

#41: Author: Squirrel, Location: St-Andrews or Dunfermline

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:19 pm
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Well, also - could it not be that the reason for the 'distant relative' coming is that they have had time to get used to the fact, and her father has had time to come to his senses, realise this is not what he wants for his daughter, and organise an alternative?

#42: Author: catherine, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:51 pm
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I have to agree with both Caroline and Squirrel - I was more annoyed with EBD for introducing a sad storyline!!

I can see why it was introduced - to introduce a new idea regarding the prefectship of Games, allowing Bride to hold a more prominent post than she would otherwise have done and to eventually allow the introduction of 'Bank Prefect' and obviously, it was one of the 'Shocks for the Chalet School'. All the same I still wonder what exactly she wanted her readers to understand from the storyline.

#43: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:33 pm
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All these arguments make sense. I suppose what it is that annoys me though is not the fact that Elfie is staying at home to grieve etc (if she did it would be perfectly natural) but that she's going to be 'keeping house', and also that it seems like it would last for two years. Fair enough, that won't wreck her education or life, but it's not exactly going to be fun for Elfie. And no boy would ever have been expected to behave the same way in the circs (even if they wanted to, they'd probably have been dissuaded) which I suppose also annoys me.

If Elfie was just going to be at home for a term, it wouldn't bother me. It's the way she seems to be expecting to do it for the next couple of years which I mind. Though obviously, it's the selfless thing to do.

#44: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 4:59 pm
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Loryat wrote:

I suppose what it is that annoys me though is not the fact that Elfie is staying at home to grieve etc (if she did it would be perfectly natural) but that she's going to be 'keeping house', and also that it seems like it would last for two years.... If Elfie was just going to be at home for a term, it wouldn't bother me. It's the way she seems to be expecting to do it for the next couple of years which I mind. Though obviously, it's the selfless thing to do.

On re-reading the extract that Caroline posted, it begins to sound as if it might be all Elfie's idea. She does say that her father is in no state to make decisions. Elfie is a teenage girl in a highly emotional state - it's quite possible that she might have decided to dedicate her life to her family, in the way that some teenage girls go through a phase of wanting to be nuns - or they did when I was in my teens. Not me, I hasten to add. As soon as Mr Woodward is capable of making decisions, he makes other arrangements for his family and packs Elfie off back to school.

Jay B.

#45: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:38 pm
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JayB wrote:

But is it her dad that actually organises things? I got the impression this random relative just turned up and thought to myself (as I read it) that it was lucky she had. And this is a random who they don't seem to know very well, but Elfie is happy to leave them with her about two months after the death (though this would fit well with Elfie going through a phase of dedication).

Maybe I totally have the wrong end of the stick. Should reread before I really make my mind up. Very Happy

#46: Author: jennifer, Location: Taiwan

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 4:46 am
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Relevant Quotes

Quote:

He said - he said she'd left it awfully late and she must have an operation practically at once. Only she wasn't fit for it and they had her in hospital for about three weeks, trying to build her up. Then, a week past Sunday, they did operate. She died the next day.'

Quote:

All her life, Elfie's one ambition had been to be a physical-training mistress. She was by no means a clever girl, but she had worked hard and steadily so as to be able to pass into either Chelsea or Bedford. She was a good all-rounder at games and her gymnastic work was excellent. In Guides she had proved that she could handle other girls and teach as well. In making her decision, Elfie was giving up everything for which she had slogged all her schooldays. At the same time, Bride realised dimly that Elfie, being what she was, could have done nothing else.

Quote:

'He hasn't said much, but I know it's a great relief to him to know that I'll be at home. You see, Bride, though we have Florence who has been with us since my own mother and Dad were married, she's getting old and she does need someone to tell her what to do.'

Quote:

'No; but Aunt Rosalie, it's all right for Mr Woodward and the boys, but what about Elfie herself? It's going to ruin her life.'

'Rubbish!' Rosalie retorted bracingly. 'It's going to do nothing of the kind. This is just until Peter is old enough for boarding-school. Mr Woodward told Miss Annersley when he wrote that it's only putting things off for a couple of years. Elfie won't be twenty by that time. It won't hurt her to wait.'

'But what about the exam? She'll forget all her work,' Bride argued.

'Oh, no, she won't. There are excellent night classes in Bristol and as soon as they can get things arranged, Elfie will attend them. She won't miss of anything.'

'But even if the boys are away at school, there'll be her father to look after.'

'Things will probably have straightened out by then. You must remember that it's not a fortnight yet since Mrs Woodward died. They haven't had time to see clear ahead. No, Bride; I'm sorry Elfie's last year at school has to go missing, but she'll do all the better when it does come to college.

I'm not sure, however, that Rosalie was totally right. Elfie's not particularly good at schoolwork but gets by by working really hard, and goes to a good school. Doing night classes while learning to run a household and looking after two much younger brothers and her father would be a really hard load even for someone who was good at academics.

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