Sarah couldn't put it off for too long, or a valuable chance would be missed. However, for now, garden serenity wrapped her in a false comfort. The dreaded moment would inevitably come, but she knew that.
This garden, in fact the whole property, was magnificent. She still couldn't quite believe that Matthew had given all this up forever just to be with her. He had given her so much love, and his family had hated her for supposedly stealing him away. Love and hate, two sides of the same coin.
She heard the voices in her head.
"Why are you going back there? Don't send Christopher there, ever. He doesn't need them. Of course, some help and support would be welcome, but not on these terms!" That voice was her mother's.
"Hand over Christopher to us, then forget about him forever. Start your life again." That voice was Mrs. Hartman's, with her disdainful, mocking smile. She knew Sarah's kind. She thought she did.
As the driveway drew her ever nearer to the front door, Sarah's eyes looked around the grounds, taking it all in.
"I didn't come here for Christopher''s sake, nor for Matthew's," she declared. " I came here for me......"
She was on time and was ushered in the the dowager's presence for her appointment. Mrs. Hartman wore her usual condescending half-smile.
"You came! I knew you would. You've made your decision? Good! Tell me?"
"The answer is no!"
The half-smile froze on the elder woman's face.
"Really? So why bother coming back? What do you want then?"
"Nothing!"
"You've deprived your son of an excellent start in life. We would have given him the best. Oh, well, it's your choice. You won't be able to change your mind after today, you know! Your loss and his."
"Mrs. Hartman, the loss is entirely yours and your family's."
Mrs. Hartman's eyebrows rose questioningly.
"I've given you the chance to be a part of Christopher's life. As his late father's child, he is entitled to support from you during his formative years. He is a brilliant boy and will surely go far with or without your help...." She hesitated for a second, enjoying seeing Mrs. Hartman's suspense."
"He'll be noticed in the future and when it comes in public view that he is a scion of the most prominent family in the city but was disowned for no other reason than the fact that his father married an otherwise perfectly respectable woman against his mother's will, how do you think that will make you and your family look?"
Sarah rose and got up to leave.
"Wait!" said Mrs. Hartman.
"Too late! Goodbye!" replied Sarah. She was gone.
This post originally appeared on Write Away on WordPress on 28/9/2010
This garden, in fact the whole property, was magnificent. She still couldn't quite believe that Matthew had given all this up forever just to be with her. He had given her so much love, and his family had hated her for supposedly stealing him away. Love and hate, two sides of the same coin.
She heard the voices in her head.
"Why are you going back there? Don't send Christopher there, ever. He doesn't need them. Of course, some help and support would be welcome, but not on these terms!" That voice was her mother's.
"Hand over Christopher to us, then forget about him forever. Start your life again." That voice was Mrs. Hartman's, with her disdainful, mocking smile. She knew Sarah's kind. She thought she did.
As the driveway drew her ever nearer to the front door, Sarah's eyes looked around the grounds, taking it all in.
"I didn't come here for Christopher''s sake, nor for Matthew's," she declared. " I came here for me......"
She was on time and was ushered in the the dowager's presence for her appointment. Mrs. Hartman wore her usual condescending half-smile.
"You came! I knew you would. You've made your decision? Good! Tell me?"
"The answer is no!"
The half-smile froze on the elder woman's face.
"Really? So why bother coming back? What do you want then?"
"Nothing!"
"You've deprived your son of an excellent start in life. We would have given him the best. Oh, well, it's your choice. You won't be able to change your mind after today, you know! Your loss and his."
"Mrs. Hartman, the loss is entirely yours and your family's."
Mrs. Hartman's eyebrows rose questioningly.
"I've given you the chance to be a part of Christopher's life. As his late father's child, he is entitled to support from you during his formative years. He is a brilliant boy and will surely go far with or without your help...." She hesitated for a second, enjoying seeing Mrs. Hartman's suspense."
"He'll be noticed in the future and when it comes in public view that he is a scion of the most prominent family in the city but was disowned for no other reason than the fact that his father married an otherwise perfectly respectable woman against his mother's will, how do you think that will make you and your family look?"
Sarah rose and got up to leave.
"Wait!" said Mrs. Hartman.
"Too late! Goodbye!" replied Sarah. She was gone.
This post originally appeared on Write Away on WordPress on 28/9/2010