Free Privileged Children by Frances Vernon Page A

You’re only what — seventeen?’
    ‘Clem was being tactful. And why am I back already? It’s a long story, but mostly because I’ve had a baby.’
    ‘My God, Alice, why didn’t you tell me? Do you think I wouldn’t have helped you? Is it a boy or a girl?’ She looked very calm. ‘It is mine, isn’t it?’
    ‘Don’t be silly, James. You know I was with my uncle for more than a year. I wrote to you. You don’t think I could have given birth to my bastard at Balbridge Rectory, do you? No‚ I had an affair with someone down there. The stable-boy, to be precise. I was packed off to Clem when I got pregnant.’
    ‘The stable-boy!’
    ‘Oh dear, James, being an officer has changed you! Why on earth shouldn’t I go to bed with whoever I please? He was very nice, too.’
    ‘And now you’ve deserted him, too?’
    ‘What do you mean him, too? You dropped me, remember? At least … Well,’ she continued, ‘I have got a third lover, if you must know. An enchanting and adorable and skilled lover. He makes me glow all over.’
    ‘You always were fast.’
    ‘Oh James, what an outdated reproach that is.’
    ‘Loose. Whorish,’ he shouted.
    ‘Don’t be abusive. When do you leave for France, then?’
    ‘Next week.’
    ‘Have a nice time. Goodbye, James.’ She shook his hand and walked back to Gordon Square. ‘Oh, Anatole!’ she said to herself as she rounded the corner of Russell Square.
    James stood in the street, staring after her. His mouth was twisted up.
    *
    ‘Letter for you, miss‚’ said the maid after breakfast two dayslater, just when she met Alice in the hall. Alice sat on the stairs to read it. The baby, Michael, could be heard howling in the nursery upstairs.
    The envelope was battered. Alice’s name and address had been carefully printed on it. It had been re-addressed from Melton Balbridge. Dear Alice , the letter began:
    We are in Belgium. I fought in the battle of the Marne. It is very cold at nights. I have not been woonded
[several versions of this word were crossed out]
hurt, but lots of the men in our batalion have been killed alredy. I am alright really. I know you would want me to join the Army. Their is a Memorial stone at home for the South African War which has something in Lattin written underneath the names, which the Rector says means that it is right and glorius to die for your country. It was put up by Lord Stopsford because his son was killed then. I am sure it is right otherwise Lord Kitchener and Lord Grey and Mr Askwith would not have started the war, but I do not think that it is glorius. It is too sad really. Think of all the orfanned children a war makes.
    I love you Alice. I wish you would write and tell me why you left so suddenly. You would not explane properly. I have been thinking and I do not like to write this to you, but I think you might have been with child. Please tell me if this is true. I should know, Alice, if it is. I should like to come and see the baby if you have one. I could have married you if you wanted. I would want to. It is my duty also. I hope you are well. You cannot write to me here, but you could send a letter to my mothers house.
    With love from Luke.
    Alice went upstairs and wrote a letter to Luke. She told him about Michael, what a fine child he was, and how much Augustus and Clementina loved him. She said that if he liked he could come and see her when he had home leave. She would like that.
    Then she went back to the breakfast room, where Clementina was darning socks in the morning sunlight. She handed her the letter, saying it was from Luke.
    ‘You can argue with the young fools who go off with their heads stuffed with Rupert Brooke’s nonsense,’ she said when she had read it. ‘But what can you do about that?’ She wenton with her darning. Alice stood in front of her. ‘What could he say, poor boy? He never knew you, did he, Alice?’
    She looked up. ‘His mother would be so proud of this, if it didn’t have that last