Page 85 - sons-and-lovers

he is NOT at home.’
Then he came home angry with his mother for having
turned the girl away so rudely. He was a careless, yet eager-
looking fellow, who walked with long strides, sometimes
frowning, often with his cap pushed jollily to the back of his
head. Now he came in frowning. He threw his cap on to the
sofa, and took his strong jaw in his hand, and glared down
at his mother. She was small, with her hair taken straight
back from her forehead. She had a quiet air of authority,
and yet of rare warmth. Knowing her son was angry, she
trembled inwardly.
‘Did a lady call for me yesterday, mother?’ he asked.
‘I don’t know about a lady. There was a girl came.’
‘And why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Because I forgot, simply.’
He fumed a little.
‘A good-looking girl—seemed a lady?’
‘I didn’t look at her.’
‘Big brown eyes?’
‘I did NOT look. And tell your girls, my son, that when
they’re running after you, they’re not to come and ask your
mother for you. Tell them that—brazen baggages you meet
at dancing-classes.’
‘I’m sure she was a nice girl.’
‘And I’m sure she wasn’t.’
There ended the altercation. Over the dancing there was
a great strife between the mother and the son. The griev-
ance reached its height when William said he was going
to Hucknall Torkard—considered a low town—to a fancy-

Sons and Lovers