Page 374 - sons-and-lovers

‘I didn’t want, ma!’ he cried, very red, suffering and re-
monstrating.
‘No, my lad, I know. I was only wishing I had. And take
away five pounds for the wedding and things—it leaves
twenty-nine pounds. You won’t do much on that.’
He twisted still, impotent, stubborn, not looking up.
‘But do you really want to get married?’ she asked. ‘Do
you feel as if you ought?’
He gave her one straight look from his blue eyes.
‘Yes,’ he said.
‘Then,’ she replied, ‘we must all do the best we can for
it, lad.’
The next time he looked up there were tears in his eyes.
‘I don’t want Annie to feel handicapped,’ he said, strug-
gling.
‘My lad,’ she said, ‘you’re steady—you’ve got a decent
place. If a man had NEEDED me I’d have married him on
his last week’s wages. She may find it a bit hard to start hum-
bly. Young girls ARE like that. They look forward to the fine
home they think they’ll have. But I had expensive furniture.
It’s not everything.’
So the wedding took place almost immediately. Arthur
came home, and was splendid in uniform. Annie looked
nice in a dove-grey dress that she could take for Sundays.
Morel called her a fool for getting married, and was cool
with his son-in-law. Mrs. Morel had white tips in her bon-
net, and some white on her blouse, and was teased by both
her sons for fancying herself so grand. Leonard was jolly
and cordial, and felt a fearful fool. Paul could not quite see