Chapter 85

• It was a lovely summer’s day. The sun shone and the birds sang as I stepped out on to the terrace of my country house. Below me lawns and gardens stretched down to our little lake. Groups of mature ladies and their daughters stood around chatting aimlessly as Mother had arranged a soiree of many of her friends and their daughters without consulting me.
• Since father’s demise the estate was mine, as eldest, and only, son. Mother knew that if I were to die without issue then the estate would pass to uncle Norman and she really hated him and he reciprocated with equal hatred and loathing.
• Without consulting me she had arranged a pic nic in our garden for some of her obnoxious so called friends and their equally awful daughters. I remonstrated with her but she retorted. “You must find a nice girl settle down and produce an heir,” she raged, “And how else are you to meet a suitable girl.”