The most important thing is to land a good marriage. A rich husband equals a happy life, Mum kept telling Emily Whitaker, and the daughter nodded in agreement.
Her father, a stern university professor, guarded Emily like a dragon over its treasure. No latenight strolls, no student parties, no weekend hikes everything was under his watchful eye.
At university there were plenty of decent lads, and Emilys fiancé, Thomas Blake, came from a respectable family. But when Thomas discovered a more exciting, carefree companion, his interest in Emily waned.
Soon the dissertation deadline arrived, and romance took a back seat. With Dads help Emily secured a junior post at his firm, while Mum coaxed her into arranging a suitable match.
Mum knew the drill: a single daughter must make a proper marriage, and a new prospect appeared the nephew of a family friend.
Emily dear, have a look at this gentleman. Hes older than you, which is a plus, not a minus. Why settle for a boyfriend when you could have MrJames Harrington? He runs his own company, and you wont even need to work, Mum urged.
But hes already married, Mum! He has a daughter, which means alimony, Emily protested.
Dont worry about that. His wife was less than brilliant, and she lives in another city with their child. No problem, Mum reassured.
The introduction went ahead. Emilys father remained politely silent; hed left womens affairs to the ladies once she finished her degree. Let them sort it out themselves, he muttered.
Surprisingly, Emily found James charming. A tenyear age gap didnt faze her with his silvergrey hair and impeccable style, hed look dashing even in ten years. Handsome, wellmannered, and dressed to the nines, he won her over, and they married.
Mum sighed with relief, having fulfilled her maternal duty, and turned her attention to herself: spa days, boutique shopping, and sunsoaked holidays with James, now that Emily had moved out.
Emily, meanwhile, settled into a comfortable life, her husband encouraging her whims. Household chores were delegated to the housekeeper, Martha, who managed everything without a word from Emily.
Then, out of the blue, a storm of scandal struck. Jamess former wife vanished under mysterious circumstances, and James, for reasons unknown to Emily, was forced to take responsibility for a daughter.
Great, just what I needed, Emily thought, as she was suddenly expected to become a second mother to a girl shed never met.
James offered no explanation, merely stating the fact and asking Emily to show a bit of compassion. The girl was innocent, after all.
A few weeks later James brought the child home in a battered suitcase and a school backpack. Lucy, a quiet, tall girl in Year3, barely spoke a word. Shes as silent as a church mouse, Emily whispered, noting that Lucy bore a striking resemblance to James a tiny version of the man, not a product of his former wifes shortcomings.
Living in a sprawling house with a stepmother and a housekeeper was a lot for Lucy to swallow; she wasnt used to such grandeur. After dinner shed dart off to wash the dishes, hunt for the broom, even attempt to iron her own clothes, much to Emilys exasperation.
James, busy with his business, arrived home late and could spare little affection. When he was with his wife, Lucy got a quick pat on the head and the obligatory, How was school?
Emily soon felt the pinch of time. She could no longer pop off to the gym at dawn, bingescroll through social media, or linger over a coffee at the local café. Lucys homework needed supervising, and James kept asking Emily to keep the girls grades up.
Im not a teacher, Emily sighed, but look, her marks are improving. Its for her own good. James, however, took offense and the peace in the house frayed.
Two years later Emily gave birth to a son, Denis. With Lucy almost twelve, she offered to look after her little brother. No better nanny could be found; Lucy managed to juggle schoolwork, playtime with Denis, and even the occasional household chore when the sixtyyearold housekeeper, Martha, began to tire.
Emily grew accustomed to the arrangement, caring for herself enough to keep her socialbutterfly charm intact. Denis adored his big sister, and she, in turn, dote
on him.
When Lucy finished school, Denis was about to start Year1, and the bulk of his schooling fell again on Lucys shoulders, even though she was now a university student studying English. She tutored her brother while attending lectures.
One evening James, ever the weary businessman, asked, Dont you think its odd, love, that youve left all the house and the boy to Lucy?
Emily, now frequenting afternoon teas and weekend brunches with her circle of society friends, replied, Whats wrong with that? Lucy handles everything. Martha pretends to work, but she just cooks and calls it a day.
James grumbled, Exactly. Everythings on Lucy, isnt it?
Emily said nothing.
Years passed. Lucy landed a job as a translator at Jamess firm, which had expanded beyond the UK market. There she met Harry Clarke, a sharptongued sales executive. Their chemistry was instant, much to Jamess chagrin, who hadnt expected his modest daughter to dive into office romance.
Lucy announced shed marry Harry, insisting on it herself. James, initially upset, eventually gave his reluctant blessing.
Emily, meanwhile, lost her housekeeperMartha announced shed retire at sixtyfive. James, too, was in no hurry to find a replacement.
Lucy, ever the proactive one, offered, Ill help, Mum. Ill come over once a week to clean and iron.
Once a week? Make it more often, Martha snapped.
Eventually Lucy moved in with Harry after a lavish wedding and began sorting out the household herself.
Harry, ambitious as ever, declared he wanted to start his own business. He quit his job, set up a home office, and struggled. James, upset by Harrys rash move, refused to fund the venture, though he did give Lucy a modest raise.
Lucy, never one to waste a penny, poured her earnings into the family budget, often slipping a few extra pounds to her brother, Denis, when he needed them. Their apartment was mortgaged, and Harry still liked the occasional pub dinner and weekend getawayhardly a pennypinchers life.
Life went on until Jamess health took a turn for the worse, and the overseas partners in his firm withdrew. The company teetered on the brink, and James, recognizing he couldnt run it any longer, sold it.
Lucy kept her translation job, pleading with the new owners not to fire her, even though her role was becoming less essential. They agreed, but her salary was slashed dramatically.
James, despondent after his fatherinlaws funeral, fell into a deep slump. Emily and Denis felt the strain too, needing support, so Lucy moved back in with them, leaving Harry to stew over his dwindling finances.
One more job, or were done, Lucy warned James one night.
He snapped, What child? Get a grip! No work, no money. Your father went bankrupt, left you pennilesswhats next, begging on the streets?
Lucy, stunned, filed for divorce on the spot, refusing to wait for Jamess conscience to awaken. Their love had long since fled the scene.
Now Lucy lived with her stepmother and her brother, a bright lad at school. Money was tight, but James left Emily a small nest egg, which she spent sparingly, never indulging herself beyond the essentials.
When Lucys own baby arrived, the stepmother, surprisingly spry for her age, became a doting grandma, learning on the fly how to care for a newborn despite her limited experience. Lucy watched, amused, at how Emily took the situation in stride.
A year later, Emily married her true love, moved in with Denis, and Lucy stayed with her brother in the family house, working remotely as a translator. The stepmother and her new partner helped with groceries and occasionally took little Catherine (the baby) for the weekend.
Every now and then Denis would pop over, calling his sister the best in the world, and she would laugh, Get a grip, you goofball! He even tried to set her up with his PE teacher, a charming single chap.
Life settled into a comfortable rhythm, free of major family drama. Even Lucy, who still loved her family, dreamed of finding her own lasting loveand, before long, that dream came true.
End of tale.