Page 223 - women-in-love

CHAPTER XIV

WATER-PARTY

Every year Mr Crich gave a more or less public water-par-
ty on the lake. There was a little pleasure-launch on Willey
Water and several rowing boats, and guests could take tea
either in the marquee that was set up in the grounds of the
house, or they could picnic in the shade of the great walnut
tree at the boat-house by the lake. This year the staff of the
Grammar-School was invited, along with the chief officials
of the firm. Gerald and the younger Criches did not care for
this party, but it had become customary now, and it pleased
the father, as being the only occasion when he could gather
some people of the district together in festivity with him.
For he loved to give pleasures to his dependents and to those
poorer than himself. But his children preferred the compa-
ny of their own equals in wealth. They hated their inferiors’
humility or gratitude or awkwardness.
Nevertheless they were willing to attend at this festival,
as they had done almost since they were children, the more
so, as they all felt a little guilty now, and unwilling to thwart
their father any more, since he was so ill in health. There-
fore, quite cheerfully Laura prepared to take her mother’s
place as hostess, and Gerald assumed responsibility for the
amusements on the water.

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