Chapter 4

"The double spare room is for me when I get married and the nursery for my baby". Joanne laughed and they went back downstairs.

The maid had brought soft drinks and some delicious snacks to the sitting room. They sat and chatted making arrangements for the dance the next day. Ross could sense a little apprehension behind Joanne's exuberance. He too felt the huge house was dull of half open doors and listening ears. He stayed for some time and then went home, after promising to come for her the next evening. Joanne walked down the drive with him. They kissed for a while where only the statues were watching them. Then Ross put on his crash helment, collected his motorcycle from the security guard then roared away.

Joanne waved, then slowly walked back to face the interrogation. Mrs Helen began asking her questions with a disapproving expression. As she heard the replies, the expression grew more intense. When she had finished, there was a painful little silence.

" I am disappointed in you, Joanne." She said. You can't be serious. Couldn't you have made a better choice? What am I saying? I don't see how you could have made a worst choice! He's a mere boy still in school. He has no parents. His relatives live in a slum. I can't believe you are thinking of marrying him. What kind of a dowry do you think he can give?"

"Now, what do you want with that dowry, Mummy? I thought we had more than enough money already! Said Joanne in exasperation." Anyway, he'll be able to afford it, don't worry.

"Foolish girl," do you think it's the money I'm talking about? It's the name and prestige. Her mother chided. Families like ours marry those of the same status, the same background in society. We don't expect to marry anyone from the slums. And let me tell you, a penniless nobody doesn't expect to marry into the Kings family. Your precious Ross is just after your money.

"That is not true!" Joanne burst out. "We haven't actually talked about marriage but I've every intention of getting married to him."

As if there was any doubt he would try to marry you and your money. The fellow is just an adventurer!

"Oh, mummy, honestly!" You sound like someone in a Victorian novel, Joanne sighed wondering whether to laugh or cry.

"What will our family and friends say, when they hear about this? We will be the laughing stock of the country. The Kings daughter wants to marry a Penniless nobody." She repeated tragically.

"That's their business, not mine, he's not going to be penniless forever," Joanne said angrily, daring to argue with her mother for the first time. She got up and went upstairs to her room.

"Babe," said Mr Kings. "Leave them alone. You can't choose a husband for her. Those days are past, Joanne has a lot of common sense and this Ross looks a decent young man. A boy who's going to have a universe degree, has good enough prospects. She ..."

"Spare me the lecture, will you? I knew you will say that. You're fond of heaping sand around Joanne's waist. Anyway, I've said mine. If she likes, let her listen to me, his wife retorted and marched into the kitchen to give the cook orders about supper."

Mr Kings sighed and filled his pipe again. He knew that he would probably lose the argument. His wife was very domineering lady, very strong willed. She had the knack of making him feel always in the wrong. He was very good in his business, that was the only thing that could bring out the iron in him. He was very soft hearted about all other things especially Joanne. He doted on Joanne. She had been born after a long search for a child.

His wife had given birth to two set of twins, all of whom died at birth. After that, there had benn no more babies until they had been married for nine years. In the long lean years that followed the death of the last set of twins, members of the Kings family had been on their brother's neck. If he wouldn't drive away his useless wife, then they urged him to take another wife secretly and have an heir. He loved his wife and married her for better, for worse. He could not bring himself to punish her for what was not her fault. He had married her in church. When you marry under the ordinance, you never thought of taking a second wife. None of them could say anything to her face, anyway. They were all afraid to her. She could always make them feel so small, staring through them with her big eyes. He smiled reminiscently.

Joanne had been born five years after the last set of twins. At first, she was frail and they had thought she was going she was going to die too. They had nursed her to health as she was very thin and sickly as a baby. After she had scraped through the first three years of her life, they knew she had come to stay. After her, there had been no more babies and Joanne had grown up to make them proud of her.

He waited for her to come back and then said mildly, "My dear, have a little more confidence in Joanne's good sense. If this young man is the right one for, one day we shall all agree about it. If he isn't, she'll certainly feel it. The more you criticise him, the more she'll feel bound to defend him. "

"I suppose you're right," she sighed. I worry so much about her.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The next day, Joanne dressed in a pink floral dressing in a crepe woven rayon for her date with Ross. The side if its waist softly swathed into a velvet drape. She combed her long hair back. Pinned it into a bond and waited for him to come and collect her, in this luxurious dress, with elegance in every line of it. As soon as she saw him, she ran out to meet him and they went to the dance in her Rolls Royce. Any misgivings Roos might have had after his first amazing glimpse into the Kings' way of life vanished like mist at the sight of her.

It was an all night dance and they had to stay till dawn. The band played all sorts of dance tunes and floor filled with young people, eager to enjoy life to the full. Ross held Joanne tightly in his arms as the band played a smooth number, and she felt as if she was in heaven. She wished the band will go on playing that number forever. She had never enjoyed herself so much, really letting herself go for once. In the morning, she felt as weak as the twelve dancing princesses in the fairy tale put together.

Ross who doesn't feel as tired, did the driving home. He dropped her at her house and stayed for breakfast at her father's invitation. He enjoyed the food very much and did not hesitate to say so. He even praised the cook to her face and that endeared him to her. He was nice to everyone. Her parents were both pleasant to him. Joanne felt very proud of him. She knew her mother was making a big effort so she decided not to risk spoiling things by demanding too much. The way everyone behaved showed he was accepted as her man, didn't it?.