The Letter Read Online Free Page B

French… You’re so good at it… If I’m to pass I need your help. Then I’ll help you.”
    “Jean there’s a month to go. I don’t need your help. I’m working in the university library during the day and in the evening Ben is helping me. Don’t worry you’ll sail through.”
    Surprised by the uncharacteristic rebuff Jean decided to ask some of her sister’s friends about this so-called Ben. She discovered that they rarely saw Margaret, who was in danger of falling behind with her studies. What’s more he was seeing other girls from wealthy influential families.
    Jean was at a loss as to what to do, having sworn not to say anything to their parents about Ben. Forced into deceiving them she used the impending exams to make fewer visits home and tried to reason with her love-struck sister.
    “Where is he when he’s not with you?”
    “Busy catching up on his work, like me…”
    “Busy with other girls. That’s where.”
    Margaret staunchly refused to believe it.
    “At least ask him.”
    “I won’t because I know he loves me. What would he want from anyone else?”
    “He’s different, not like our brothers or the other boys we know.”
    “That’s part of why I love him.”
    “What if you fail your exams?”
    “I won’t.”
    “But you don’t care if I fail mine!”
    “That’s not so. I do care!”
    “Not enough to give up an hour with this Ben!”
    Margaret slammed the door on her way out.
    The exams came and went. Jean won the gold medal for mathematics with high scores in all the other subjects. Margaret scraped through slightly miffed. It was the first time she hadn’t been top.
     
    *  *  *  *  *
     
    Margaret pretended to be asleep but she needn’t have bothered. Jean was up and away organising the last requirements for admission to university before they went home for the summer.
    She dragged herself out of bed but as soon as her feet touched the floor she was sick. It was the same every day. Their landlady asked if she was unwell. Ben tetchily asked why she was meeting him later and later in the morning. She described the symptoms. He said smugly “You’re not ill. It sounds as if you’re having a baby.”
    She couldn’t be! Babies were something that happened after you were married and nothing to do with their lovemaking. What would she do if he was right?

Chapter 5  
     
    Margaret and Jean arrived in Gorebridge late on Friday night. The tiny bedroom shared with Mary, generally became alive with talk and merriment. Throughout their growing up Margaret and Jean had told each other everything but that was before Ben. Jean was convinced he was stealing her sister away and said so. Margaret said it was none of her business, accusing Jean of spying. Perhaps she was spying? She hadn’t meant to but Margaret had changed and there was something terribly wrong. Jean tried to resolve the uneasy quiet between them.
    “Maggie… you know I promised not to tell…”
    “Have you?”
    “No but don’t think I haven’t wanted to.”
    “I didn’t mean to make it awkward for you.”
    “Awkward … says you, who never thinks of anyone except herself!”
    “Jean, that’s not true!”
    Jean made to go downstairs. Margaret grabbed her arm.
    “Maggie!”
    “Sit down a minute… please!” Jean didn’t want to create a fuss so sat on the bed. “I’m going to have a baby.”
    It took a minute for Margaret’s words to sink in; unable to conceal her dismay Jean asked, “Are you certain?”
    “Of course I am. Ben’s a doctor. He should know.”
    Jean expected her sister to cry, to do something; anything but stand there as if such a thing was an everyday event like having tea.
    “Maggie, surely you’re sorry?”
    “What have I got to be sorry for?”
    “You can’t bring a baby into this world without a father?”
    “It’s got a father, Ben.”
    “Oh and he’ll put everything right?”
    “Yes, he’s coming tomorrow to ask father’s permission for us to