I enjoyed The Bachelor's Wedding, and Araminta and Jason were more likeable than many other Betts heroes and heroines. That said, there's a rather disturbing bit in the otherwise pleasant chapter 9. If you'll remember, Alice comes over to tell Araminta that their father had gotten a promotion, that he'd sold the house, and that he and Alice were moving to Bournemouth.
That's all well and good, so far as it goes. It's in character for Mr. Smith to take one more chance to upbraid Araminta for marrying and leaving them in the lurch ("I find it difficult to forget your selfishness even if I can forgive", p. 168). But it's a bit of a surprise that Jason used his connections to get Mr. Smith the promotion and move to Bournemouth (kicking him upstairs, presumably), arranged for the house to be bought quickly.
And it's astonishing to read this, from the otherwise polite Jason: "He said harshly, 'Unless you wish to do so, you do not have to see your father or Alice again. They have treated you badly, used you as a housekeeper and breadwinner, and shown not one jot of gratitude. They do not deserve to have their circumstances improved but it was the only way I could think of that would set you free'" (p. 169).
Ok, whoa. Everything he said about their treatment of Araminta was true, I'll grant that. But - sending them away and suggesting that Araminta need never see them again? One wonders whether he was genuinely that indignant, or whether he took this as excuse to rid himself of Araminta's undesirable relatives.
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3 comments:
I love this blog! I'm so happy to have found it. I've had an absolutely inexplicable passion for Betty Neels for 25 years (I'm 40) that I've hidden from everyone except my husband. How nice to read that someone else likes her (but mocks her) with the same passion that I do. I've got about 50 BN books, but I do believe I've read all 100+ of the them - I scout them out at used bookstores and such, and have even ordered them from EBay. Thanks for the analyses, and I'll check back for more. What BN is up next? (Aimee from VT)
how fun that you found this! It's always good to hear from other Betts fans. Which is your favorite?
I'll be reading Britannia all at Sea next, though I won't post about it until next week. Caroline's Waterloo comes after that - I'm just going alphabetically along my bookshelf.
Like some of the other contributors, I, too, am a secret admirer of Betty Neels. It is arrogant on my part that I am perfectly happy to admit I'm reading such things as "Song of Roland" or "The Divine Comedy," but I keep my Betty Neels life a secret (so don't tell anybody).
Once I discovered her, I bought each book as it was published, and scoured used book shops (pre-web) to find the books that I'd missed. I no longer have each book in my library, but have kept twenty or so of my favorites.
Purchasing the books involved strategy. I'm sure it was hysterical to watch me approach the book stand because I didn't boldly walk up and pick up the damned book. Instead, I'd look carefully at all the other books around it, and ever so casually reach out for the book, or I'd walk past quickly and pick it up as I went by. I have at times employed a hood and sun glasses. Of course I'd pick up a couple of other books at the same time, so I disguise my real purchase.
Just recently, I've had to spend some time in bed, and I turned to my old friend to help me get through the ordeal. I had been reading "Atlas Shrugged," but would no more read that during a recovery than I'd have walked to the moon. I needed my old friend to bring comfort, and the odd cynical laugh.
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