The Angel in the Corner - Monica Dickens [118]
Helen put the lipstick back into its case, returned it to a drawer, tidied the top of the dressing-table, and patted her hair before she turned round. Her face was cautious, but before she turned, Virginia had glanced up and caught the flicker of triumph on Helen’s reflection in the mirror.
‘I can’t lend you money,’ Helen said, ‘but I will be glad to give you anything you need.’
‘I don’t want that. I’ll pay you back. It might take a little time, but I couldn’t take anything from you unless I paid it back.’
‘Why so proud? What is a mother for, after all?’
‘But this is different. I ran away from you to marry someone you didn’t like. That doesn’t give me the right to expect help from you.’
‘I’m only surprised that you haven’t asked for it before. Do you think I’m so vindictive? I would have helped you any time, and of course I’ll help you now. On one condition.’
‘What’s that?’ Virginia asked although she knew what her mother was going to say.
‘That you come back to the States with me. As you know, I had planned for you to have your baby over there, and now that I’ve seen – what I’ve seen, my mind is completely made up. I’m not leaving you here.’
‘I’m staying, Helen. My mind is made up too.’ Virginia stood up, and they confronted each other warily, each watching the other’s face for a sign of surrender. ‘I’m not going to make bargains with you. All I want is for you to lend us some money, just enough to tide us over the baby, until I can get about and start earning again. Mrs Batey will look after the baby while I’m working. I’ll get another job. We’ll be perfectly independent again, and eventually we’ll be able to pay you back, and we won’t have to bother you again.’
‘And while you are farming your baby out on that unspeakable woman, and working your fingers into a condition even worse than they are now’ – Virginia put her hands behind her back – ‘what will your charming husband be doing, if one may ask?’
‘He’ll be working, too, of course.’
‘Is he working now?’ Again that fleeting look of triumph passed across Helen’s face, as if she thought she had Virginia trapped.
‘Well – not at the moment. He’s had some bad luck. That’s why I had to come to you. But he’ll find something soon. We’ll be all right, only we’ll both have to work if we’re going to pay you back.’
‘Don’t keep saying that!’ Helen stamped her foot lightly. ‘I’ve never asked you to pay me back. I don’t want that. I want you to accept my help as a gift, but on my terms, Jinny. After all, it’s my money. I think you’re being a little presumptuous in trying to tell me what to do with it.’
‘What are your terms then – that Joe and I should trail meekly with you to America and live on your charity?’
‘Joe and you! You must be crazy. Nothing would induce me to have that man living in my house. Apart from my dislike of him – which I gather from his attitude is mutual – I would be ashamed to introduce him to people as my son-in-law.’
‘Stop that, Helen,’ Virginia said heatedly. ‘There’s nothing wrong with Joe. I won’t let you talk like that. He’s my husband, and I love him.’
‘Oh – love him!’ Helen flung up her hands. ‘What will the child say next? How can you love a man who treats you like that? Why, it’s degrading. There’s something almost masochistic about it.’
‘You don’t know anything about the way Joe treats me.’
‘I can tell. He’s tried to drag you down to his level. He’s tried to break you, and dominate you. I can tell by the way he speaks to you, by the way he looks at you, even. I know his type. I wouldn’t be surprised at anything I heard about him. Has he ever hit you?’
‘No.’ Often in the past, Virginia had been rashly honest with Helen, and regretted it. She was more cautious now, and Helen invited lies by her egotistic failure to be tolerant of the truth.
‘He will,’ Helen said smugly. ‘I told you, I know the type. If you go on with him, Jinny, you’re headed for disaster. Leave him. Come back to me, and I’ll help you. I’ll give you everything you want – even a house of your own on the estate, if you want it