Perfectly Correct by Philippa Gregory

Author:Philippa Gregory [Philippa Gregory ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780007400003
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2013-09-03T16:00:00+00:00

Andrew Miles pulled an armful of wood from the back of the Land-Rover and walked down the garden to Rose’s van. Louise, from her seat before the word processor, watched him. He shouted from the steps and Rose opened the van door. Today she was huddled in a deep green velvet evening cape with the glamorous hood pulled up over her grey head for warmth. Andrew piled most of the wood into the van and dropped the rest by the steps. He went back to his Land-Rover for more, then he fetched a red petrol can, and went into the van. In a few moments Louise saw a thin plume of smoke coming from the chimney. He had got Rose’s stove burning. Louise, abandoning all thought of the essay until he had gone, wondered uncomfortably if he thought badly of her, sitting warm in a centrally heated house while Rose huddled against the damp and the cold in a van at the bottom of the garden.

After a few minutes he emerged from the door. He was laughing at something Rose had said. Rose patted him on the cheek with an easy, affectionate gesture and then waved farewell.

Andrew strode back to his Land-Rover, started the engine with the familiar badly tuned roar, and drove back up the hill to his farm.

Louise looked blankly at the screen. Then she remembered the meeting at the university on women in Science and Industry and telephoned the head of the department.

‘I’m a member of the Fresh Start committee,’ Louise said, wincing at the name. It always sounded to her like some kind of new soap powder. ‘We’re planning to target science and technology courses for our next open day. I wonder if I could meet with you and have a talk.’

‘What about?’ he said unhelpfully.

‘About what we can do to make your department and other science and industry departments more attractive to mature women students,’ Louise said pleasantly.

‘In what way?’

Louise particularly did not want to complain about pin-up pictures which she had never seen. She had only Josephine Fields’s assurance that the department was festooned with naked women astride burgeoning spark plugs.

‘Any ways you think would be appropriate.’ She paused. ‘I think we all feel that there should be more mature women students in science and technology departments. The committee were wondering how best to encourage mature women entrants. Could I come and see you and we could have a talk about it?’

‘Are you anything to do with that nutcase woman who has been stealing notices from the noticeboards?’ the head of department demanded.

Louise thought. In theory, she was nothing to do with any nutcase woman who was a stereotype of the sexist male imagination and had never existed in reality. On the other hand, she recognised without difficulty a description of Josephine Fields joyously engaged in direct action.

‘No,’ she lied firmly. ‘I don’t know what woman you mean.’

‘An ugly batty woman who has been going around my department, upsetting my lab technicians, and taking down posters,’ he said bluntly.

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