The Middle Age of Mrs Eliot Read Free

‘But before you do so, what do you think of her general work?’
    Mr Darlington’s rather cherubic face looked earnest, his small mouth set gravely.
    He looks like a hockey-playing spinster when he’s trying to be fair to people, Meg thought; he’s a nice man and I’m all on his side, but how do women marry such unromantic little men?
    ‘To be perfectly fair,’ he began.
    ‘You don’t have to be perfectly fair,’ Meg said. She could not bear him to look so solemn.
    ‘Oh yes, he does,’ Lady Pirie said.
    ‘Well, don’t fall over backwards doing it,’ Meg amended.
    Mr Darlington smiled. ‘Shall I go on?’ he asked and continued, ‘Ithink she might be very good. Of course, she’d be better if she’d had some training. But she’s hard working and sensible. Her manner’s a bit unfortunate at times but I suspect’ – he assumed his professional psychological air – ‘that she’s nervous at having got the job by unorthodox means.’
    ‘I don’t think that’s a very fortunate phrase to use about any girl,’ Meg commented, ‘but you think the Society should try to keep her?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Mr Darlington, ‘I do.’
    ‘Well,’ said Meg and she smiled at Lady Pirie, ‘we must try, then, mustn’t we?’
    Miss Rogers’ manner that afternoon was certainly most unfortunate . She was a heavy busted and broad hipped young woman and she scowled at the committee from beneath a fringe of black hair. Mr Darlington placed a chair for her which she ignored. Meg did not smile at her but she said:
    ‘We just wanted to know how you were liking the work, Miss Rogers.’
    ‘All right.’
    ‘Good. I’m glad of that because Mr Darlington’s given such a good report of you that we shouldn’t want to lose you.’
    Miss Rogers said nothing but she sat down.
    ‘The Latimer Road area’s not the nicest beginning,’ Meg said. ‘If she’s survived that she’ll survive anything, don’t you think, Mr Purdyke?’
    Mr Purdyke was vague about the area but he said: ‘Yes. A very difficult district.’
    Meg waited for Miss Rogers to register Mr Purdyke’s vagueness; then she began to discuss the relative difficulties of the streets in Miss Rogers’ area, asking her about her particular cases as she did so. At first the girl responded shortly, then with increasing eagerness; and then suddenly she said: ‘Well, are you satisfied that I’d done my work?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Meg, ‘I am. But why do you ask?’
    ‘Because you didn’t want me to have the job.’
    ‘Really,’ said Lady Pirie, ‘I don’t think anyone should have told you that.’
    ‘Oh, my dear Viola,’ Meg laughed, ‘committees always talk You’re quite right, Miss Rogers, I didn’t. I prefer trained social workers. In principle I’m sure I’m right. Though in your case I was wrong.’
    Miss Rogers smiled rather awkwardly.
    ‘Thank you,’ she said.
    But Meg maintained her serious, straightforward manner, ‘Oh, I’ve no doubt you can learn a lot still,’ she declared. ‘For instance refusing Mrs Tucker her gin. That seems to have been a mistake.’
    Miss Rogers was confused.
    ‘Mrs Masters agreed with me.’
    Meg suppressed a smile.
    ‘Yes,’ she said dismissing this lightly, ‘you should have gone to Mr Darlington about that, of course. But I’m more interested in your reasons. As a general rule we should never take such a thing on ourselves , should we, Viola?’
    Lady Pirie, anxious to appease, said, ‘No. But perhaps Miss Rogers had a special reason,’
    ‘Yes, exactly,’ Meg said casually, ‘that’s just what I was interested in.’
    ‘Drink’s a very dangerous thing for old people living on their own,’ Miss Rogers declared.
    Mr Purdyke seemed impressed by this answer, so she said directly to him, ‘Miss Tucker’s very lonely.’
    Meg smiled.
    ‘That after all is why Aid to the Elderly is concerned with her, Miss Rogers. But because people are lonely and old we can’t treat them like children. Not unless