Hello again!
Finally as promised...
Bethany
They heard the doorbell ring, and their Ayah answer it, but paid little attention as they were involved in their game and it was unlikely to be anyone interesting. As it turned out, they were wrong. It was Mr Humphries, a friend of their parents. He often came to visit them for a weekend, as he was a good friend of My Bettany. Also, he had left behind his wife and three children in Europe and he missed them very much, being a part of the Bettany family made up for this loss somewhat. He had been based out in India on and off for some years, but had decided it was best for his wife and their children to stay in Europe. He felt the hot and humid Indian summers would be very trying for them, especially his beautiful wife who was prone to illness. So they lived with her family, and whenever Ted was in Europe he spent as much time with them as possible. When the Great War in Europe had started he became more and more concerned about their safety, but knew that it would not be easy for them to travel to India in such times. He often had great fun “helping” Dick with his train set and his proudest possession, a new Meccano set.
“Hello Uncle Ted, have you come to play with us while Mummy and Daddy are away?” Dick asked excitably
“Your parents are away?” This was something Ted hadn't expected, “Will they be back soon??” Ted asked hopefully had not looked very happy to start with, but at this news that they were out he looked even more miserable.
“They will be back tomorrow lunchtime, maybe morning” Madge replied, hoping to cheer him up a little.
Ted had made this visit to the Bettany household because he didn't know where else to turn. Earlier that day he had received news that his wife and two of their children had died, the third was very ill. He would be leaving India on Monday to travel back to Europe as quickly as he could manage to be with his remaining son. Overwhelmed by his grief, and unable to begin his journey until Monday (when he had a passage booked by train), he had set out to the Bettany's in the hope of comfort and advice. It was very distressing to realise that only Madge and Dick were in.
Dick was mainly concerned that his “Uncle” Ted would have seen him playing a silly game with Madge, and rushed to get out the Meccano set. Madge was a considerably more thoughtful and observant child, and was more concerned with how unhappy he looked. After a short conversation he told her of his great loss. Madge was horrified, her life so far had been very sheltered and unaffected by hardship or grief of any sort. She tried hard to think of what her mother or father would do if they were here, and remembered that they would always get guests a drink. She didn't think a drink would help her Uncle Ted very much, better it was all she could think to do.
Madge poured out a large glass of whiskey for Ted Humpheries, and once he had drank it poured him another. She tasted a little bit herself, but did not like how the whiskey burnt her throat and didn't try and more.
And so, to cut a long story short, in her effort to play the good hostess, Madge kept Mr Humphry's glass well topped up from her father's drinks cabinet. The drinks helped to drown his sorrows, and he became rather drunk, sufficiently so that he did not remember all of the evening when he eventually awoke the next morning, what he did not remember was how far he had gone in his need to be comforted. Madge did her best to fulfil her new role of Lady of the House by keeping him entertained and comforted. What she did not realise at the time was that some of what happened that evening would have such long lasting consequences.
Several months later when Madge discovered she was carrying a baby she was totally shocked by the news. Several years later when Ted Humphreis realised that he was the father of the small child apparently orphaned by the death of Mr and Mrs Bettany he was just as shocked.
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If anyone has any criticisms, please tell me.
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