Araminta had planned to look after Jason's niece and nephew for a week, but at the end of the week he discovers that their mother needs to stay in Chile for a while longer, and that their usual caregiver is still looking after a sick parent. So Araminta is asked to stay on for another week or two. Because half-term is over, Jason will be taking the children and Araminta back to his sister's house. She will act as housekeeper while they go to their day schools.
But before they go, Araminta goes home to pick up some more clothes. I don't know how that's possible; in chapter 1, when she's packing, she reflects that she's packing "almost all she had" (p. 11). Hmmm. She also packs a volume of Thackeray's work and Vanity Fair - the novel, not the magazine, of course. Her hand pauses over Jane Eyre, but she doesn't have room in her bag for it. Or does Betts have her reject it because it would have been too meta?
Jason tells Araminta that Alice (who had set herself out to charm Jason, natch) is in good health - surely unprofessional of him, if totally in character for a Betts hero. Araminta is proving herself to be an admirable, if slightly dull heroine. She manages to get these bratty children to behave, if not act with any friendliness. She's sensible, and and organized, and a good cook.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment