Next to Daniel was a girl Frances had not seen before, but she expected to be enlightened in good time. She was a fair well-washed well-presented girl whose name appeared to be Jill. On Frances's right was Lucy, not from St Joseph's: she was Daniel's girlfriend from Dartington, often here. Lucy, who at an ordinary school would certainly have been prefect, being decisive, clever, responsible and born to rule, said that progressive schools, or at least Dartington, suited some people well, but others needed discipline, and she wished she was at an ordinary school with rules and regulations and exams one had to work for. Daniel said that St Joseph's was hypocritical shit, preaching freedom but when it came to the point clamping down with morality. 'I wouldn't say clamping down, ' explained Geoffrey pleasantly to everyone, protecting his acolyte, ' it was more indicating the limits.' 'For some, said Daniel. ' Unfair, I'll grant you, said Geoffrey.
Next to Daniel was a girl Frances had not seen before, but she expected to be enlightened in good time. She was a fair well-washed well-presented girl whose name appeared to be Jill. On Frances's right was Lucy, not from St Joseph's: she was Daniel's girlfriend from Dartington, often here. Lucy, who at an ordinary school would certainly have been prefect, being decisive, clever, responsible and born to rule, said that progressive schools, or at least Dartington, suited some people well, but others needed discipline, and she wished she was at an ordinary school with rules and regulations and exams one had to work for. Daniel said that St Joseph's was hypocritical shit, preaching freedom but when it came to the point clamping down with morality. 'I wouldn't say clamping down, ' explained Geoffrey pleasantly to everyone, protecting his acolyte, ' it was more indicating the limits.' 'For some, said Daniel. ' Unfair, I'll grant you, said Geoffrey.
Sophie said she adored St Joseph's and adored Sam (the headmaster). The boys tried to look indifferent at this news.
Colin continued to do so badly at exams that his unthreatened life was a tribute to the school's famous tolerance.
Of Rose's many grievances against life, she complained most that she had not been sent to a progressive school, and when their virtues or otherwise were discussed, which happened frequently and noisily, she would sit silent, her always rubicund face ever redder with anger. Her shitty horrible parents had sent her to a normal girls'school in Sheffield, but though she had apparently ' dropped out' , and appeared to be living here, her accusations against it did not lessen, and she tended to burst into tears, crying out that they didn't know how lucky they were. Andrew had actually met Rose's parents, who were both officials in the local council. And what is wrong with them?' Frances had enquired, hoping to hear well of them, because she wanted Rose to go, since she did not like the girl. (And why did she not tell Rose to leave? That would not have been in the spirit of the times.) ' Iam afraid they are just ordinary, ' replied Andrew, smiling. ' They are conventional small-town people, and I do think they are a bit out of their depth with Rose.'
'Ah,' said Frances, seeing the possibility of Rose's returning home recede. And there was something else here too. Had she not said of her parents that they were boring and conventional? Not that they were shitty fascists, but perhaps she would have described them thus had the epithets been as available to her as they were to Rose. How could she criticise the girl for wanting to leave parents who did not understand her?
Second helpings were already being piled on to plates all except Andrew's. He had hardly touched his food. Frances pretended not to notice.
Andrew was in trouble, but how bad it was hard to say.
He had done pretty well at Eton, had made friends, which she gathered was what they were meant to do, and was going to Cambridge next year. This year, he said, he was loafing. And he certainly was. He slept sometimes until four or five in the afternoon, looked ill, and concealed what? behind his charm, his social competence.
Frances knew he was unhappy but it was not news that her sons were unhappy. Something should be done. It was Julia who came down to her layer of the house to say, 'Frances, have you been inside Andrew's room?'
'I wouldn't dare go into his room without asking.'
You are his mother, I believe. '
The gulfs between them illumined by this exchange caused Frances, as always, to stare helplessly at her mother-in-law. She did not know what to say. Julia, an immaculate figure, stood there like Judgement, waiting, and Frances felt herself to be a schoolgirl, wanting to shift from foot to foot.
You can hardly see across the room for the smoke, said Julia.
Oh, I see, you mean pot marijuana? But Julia, a lot of them smoke it.' She did not dare say she had tried it herself.
' So, to you it's nothing? It's not important?'
I didn't say that. '
' He sleeps all day, he fuddles himself with that smoke, he doesn't eat. '