Bewildering Cares by Peck Winifred

Author:Peck,Winifred
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Dean Street Press
Published: 2016-10-02T16:00:00+00:00

VI

Thursday

The hat problem became really acute this morning.

As I returned from Early Service, I most unfortunately caught sight of myself in the side glass of the little shop at the corner of our street which sells “haberdash”, baby linen and ladies’ corsets. It is not a prosperous business, and the glass is far from clean, so that, in pausing, I did gather a general impression that at our next jumble sale my present head-gear would hardly go off, even at the “All on this counter—1d. Stall,” and that no woman could be expected to show tact on the subject of pacifism, the charm of a prospective relation-in-law, and the dignity of the Church of England to the Weekes’s under a battered relic of black felt. Kate, who was washing the step as I came in, strengthened this impression by remarking that now the spring seemed coming along at last, and Dykes was having a throw-out sale, it did seem as if we’d all have to think about a bit of shopping.

My thoughts, however, were diverted from Dykes when the telephone bell went, just as we were sitting down to breakfast. Miss Boness, at the other end, told me in tones of such despair that she was up the spout and down the drain, that I really thought for a moment that she was mistaking me for the plumber. “Only you can help me, dear Mrs. Lacely,” she went on, however, “and I know we never appeal to you in vain! Miss Jedd has scratched! Simply scratched!”

“Miss Jedd?” (Where, as Mrs. Pratt would say, was my method or engagement book?)

“Yes, Miss Jedd! She was to speak to my Comforts Club this afternoon—surely you remember. Surely you meant to attend the meeting at three!”

“No, no!” I could reply with infinite relief. “You know it’s my maid’s afternoon out, so I have to be in the Vicarage from three o’clock onwards. We can’t leave the house empty because of telephone calls.”

“I know, I remember. But I’m in such a pickle, really at my wits’ ends. Now let me see! Yes, Eureka! I could send my Louisa to sit in your kitchen and answer the bells for you, just till four-thirty, and your Kate is such a good pal that they won’t mind, either of them.”

“But why should …”

“Because then, don’t you see, you can come to the meeting and give us a little address instead of Miss Jedd! It’s not a big affair, as of course you know. I don’t suppose more than twenty or thirty will attend, if that. It’s so unlucky it’s such a fine day, or we might have expected more. You will help me, won’t you? You’re my last hope!”

Nothing was further from my plans for a peaceful afternoon. I detest having to make a speech of any kind; my heart sinks into my shoes, and my voice rises to a high trembling squeak. And, after all, I had given Monday afternoon to the rival Work Party and would

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