The Quality of Love Read Online Free Page B

try and make any friends. It was almost Christmas and all sorts of extracurricular activities were coming up at the university and, even though she knew her father wouldn’t approve, she fully intended to join in some of them if she was invited to do so.
    Most of the other students had far more freedom than she did because very few of them actually lived in Cardiff and so they were either living in one of the halls of residence attached to the university campus or else they were in private lodgings. There were times when she envied them their independence and wished she had been able to choose a university in some other place, perhaps at Lampeter or even further afield.
    When she had suggested this to her fatherhe had been adamant that it must be Cardiff University or nothing and that he wanted her to study law.
    â€˜The only way we can afford for you to go to university is if you are living at home,’ he’d pointed out. ‘Remember, very few girls have such a tremendous opportunity in the first place and most girls of your age have been out to work for a year or more, and are not still being kept by their family.’
    He’d been most affronted when she’d told him, ‘I know that, Dad, and I’m grateful, but if you are worried about what it is going to cost then I will happily forget all about it and find a job.’
    â€˜There’s nonsense you talk, girl,’ he’d said quickly. ‘This is what I’ve struggled to achieve; what I’ve scrimped and saved for since the day you were born.’
    Knowing how much store he set by her achievements sometimes made her feel rebellious. Was she doing this for herself or simply to please him? Was she the only one there who was trying to fulfil their parents’ ambition?
    Her friendship with Gwyn had remained fleeting until one afternoon when they both had no lectures; instead of settling down and studying she’d accepted his invitation to go for a coffee at one of the nearby milk bars.
    She felt rather nervous about doing so and wished she was dressed in something smarter than the plain grey skirt and white blouse she was wearing that day.
    Once away from the confines of the university she felt a wonderful sense of liberation and in no time they were chatting away like old friends. Out of curiosity she even plucked up the courage to ask him if he was there studying because it was what his parents wanted him to do.
    â€˜I wouldn’t be slogging away like I am just to please them,’ he laughed. ‘No, I’m doing this for myself. I want to work in journalism and the better my degree, the more opportunity I’ll have to get a worthwhile job. What about you?’
    â€˜I’m not sure.’ Sarah shrugged. ‘I sometimes ask myself that question. My dad is very keen for me to do well, to get a good degree in law; one that will enable me to get a top job. I’m finding, though, that there’s so much studying involved that sometimes it seems as if my life is slipping by and by the time I’ve qualified I’ll be too old to have fun.’
    â€˜You could be right,’ he told her in a serious voice. ‘The trouble with you is that you are working far too hard. You are only in your first year and most of us only play at learning for the first year, we don’t study all the hours there are like you do. I’ve seen you heading for home at night weighed down like a packhorse with all the text books you are taking home with you.’
    â€˜I know, but I feel it’s the only possible way I can manage to keep up. There’s so much I don’t know and unless I study hard all the time I never will.’
    â€˜Utter rubbish! Take it more slowly. You’llfind that the lectures will sink in much better if you’ve a space in your head for them. Cram your brain too full and all the new facts will fall out again because there isn’t room for them.’ He grinned.
    Sarah