The Country Life Read Online Free PDF

I had the dizzying sense of chasms of treachery yawning openbehind me, forbidding retraction. With every step I took on this vertiginous journey, the possibility of going back grew more remote. There was, of course, a feeling of great liberty aroused by the act of severing oneself from the past; but having stripped myself of so much, I had a panicked sense of my own nakedness and the indignities to which it exposed me.
    â€˜I’m not seeing anyone at the moment,’ I said, and I think I sounded rather unhappy about it.
    â€˜Well, we’ll soon see about that,’ said Pamela, turning around. She had a large teapot in her hands, which she proceeded to bear to the table. ‘Let’s see if we can’t find a nice rich farmer for you.’ She laughed, loudly and spontaneously. I felt I had no choice but to join in. ‘You must be thinking, what’s the old bat on about now? My children are always telling me that I’m far too interfering, but I can’t seem to help it. I just can’t bear to think of lovely young people going to waste.’
    â€˜It isn’t always a waste,’ I said, quite sharply. I had realized by now that it was sink or swim with Pamela. ‘Some people just prefer to be on their own.’
    â€˜
Do
they?’ implored Pamela, bringing her eyes – which were an unusual light grey colour, and rather small – to meet mine. We were both seated at the table by this time, the teapot between us. ‘Or do they only
say
they do, because there isn’t anybody on the scene?’
    â€˜Perhaps a bit of both,’ I said politely.
    At that moment Mr Madden entered the room. I was very pleased to see him, concerned as I was that the conversation was straying into deep water. Unfortunately, my pleasure must have announced itself too boldly in my face; for I felt Pamela’s eyes prick me from across the table.
    â€˜Darling!’ she said, smile aloft. ‘Is everything shipshape? I’ve been quizzing poor Stella dreadfully, so she’s probably very relieved that you’ve come to rescue her.’
    Mr Madden looked from one to the other of us and back again, an expression of bright vacancy on his rosy face. Hisresponse is hard for me to capture, being a sort of grunt or whinny – ‘brrr!’ would best describe it – which I soon learned was his habitual reaction to Pamela’s episodes of sharpness. I myself was mortified by her comment, which penetrated my ears and exited through my cheeks in a matter of seconds with a furious blush.
    â€˜Is that tea?’ said Mr Madden, nodding at the teapot.
    â€˜There’s plenty left. Go and get yourself a cup,’ said Pamela.
    â€˜I’ll get it!’ I interjected, leaping from my chair; Heaven only knows why. It was a sort of reflex action, I suppose. I had begun to feel uncomfortable with my situation, not because it was particularly unpleasant; on the contrary, it was far more pleasant than I had imagined my welcome would be – I had wondered, for example, if I might be put to work immediately on arrival – although of course there is no reason why I should have been able to imagine it accurately. What did I know of the Maddens and their kind? No, by leaping up in that unexpected manner, I was attempting to place myself in the menial role which must, in one way or another, be assigned to me before much more time passed. I suspected, moreover, that when Mr Madden had mentioned tea Pamela had considered asking me to fetch the cup herself. I have a keen instinct for this type of nuance; and even at this early stage had become alerted to the presence of a certain caprice in Pamela’s nature, which suggested that she might not consider the precise articulation of her commands to have undue effect on their speedy and correct enaction.
    â€˜That’s very kind!’ she said approvingly.
    â€˜Don’t be silly,’ said Mr Madden. ‘I’ll get