Free Sins of the Fathers by Susan Howatch Page B

feel ripe for the sanitarium.’
    I murmured something sympathetic and hunted for the Tio Pepe.
    ‘I still think it’s a mistake for her to run away to Europe, but with Cornelius promising her the sun, moon and stars what
     choice did I have but to agree to the idea? Personally, as I’ve already said, I’m dead against her running away anywhere.
     She’s got to learn to stand her ground and cope with her mistakes or else she’ll always be an immature little girl.’
    I poured the sherry into a glass. ‘Ice?’
    ‘Please. I don’t believe in this European fad of drinking everything lukewarm. And talking of Europe why on earth does she
     want to go back there? And why on earth does she have to go on and on and on with this stupid idea of majoring in philosophy?
     She knows Cornelius thinks it’s crazy – why can’t she pick a subject which pleases him? Anyway I don’t see the point of girls
     going to college, particularly girls like Vicky who are obviously destined to be wives and mothers. It seems a complete waste
     of time.’
    I said non-committally: ‘Maybe some European finishing school would be more suitable.’
    Alicia shuddered, though whether at the thought of Europe or of a finishing school was hard to tell. ‘Possibly,’ was all she
     said, ‘but at best it could only be the most temporary solution to the problem of Vicky’s future.’ With the glass of sherry
     in her hand she moved to the phone. ‘I’d better call Emily – excuse me using your phone, Sam, but I feel I have to talk to
     her without Cornelius trying to listen in on an extension … Hullo? Operator? I want to call Velletria, Ohio, person to person
     to Mrs Emily Sullivan … Thanks.’ She gave the number andthen sat sipping the sherry fastidiously, like a cat sampling cream from an unfamiliar bowl. Her green eyes which slanted
     over high cheekbones accentuated this feline impression. Although she was thirty-nine her smooth pale unblemished skin made
     her look younger, and her slender figure reminded me of the photographs on the fashion pages of the
New York Times
.
    ‘Of course,’ she said as she waited, ‘it would all be easier if only Cornelius wasn’t so hopeless with her, but as you and
     I well know he’s spoilt her ever since she entered the world. I’ve done my best to introduce some sort of normality into our
     family life, but I never got total care of Vicky till she was ten and that mother of hers was a disgrace – she even let Vicky
     wear lipstick at eight! Obscene! Poor little girl. Anyway I’ve tried to be a good mother to her, God knows I’ve tried, Cornelius
     knows I’ve tried,
I
know I’ve tried, but – hullo? Emily? This is Alicia. Emily, can you please come to New York as soon as possible? I hate to
     sound as if I’m passing the buck, but I just can’t cope any more and of course the situation’s quite beyond Cornelius … Bless
     you, Emily, many thanks, how soon can you – you’ll come right away? Emily, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this – look,
     let me call you back to discuss the details. I’m at Sam’s place at the moment, and … no, she’s not here but when I get home
     and call you back of course you can speak to her. All right … thank you, darling … Bye.’
    She replaced the receiver. ‘Thank you too, Sam. I hate to involve you in all our sordid trials and tribulations. Can you please
     give me another glass of sherry? I feel I must sit down for a moment before I go out to the car. I feel totally exhausted.’
    I took her glass and moved back to the cocktail cabinet. Although I was more than willing to be supportive I was beginning
     to feel uneasy. In all the eighteen years since Cornelius had married his second wife, Alicia and I had remained no more than
     polite acquaintances and I suspected that once she had recovered her customary reserve she would regret having been so frank
     with me. Our formality did not mean we disliked each other; on the contrary,