The Letter 3 page

“I see,” I said, not seeing at all.

Martin pulled off his shoes and socks and rolled up the legs of his slacks. “Let′s go for a walk by the water′s edge,” he suggested brightly. “Posy can make some nice sand-castles with the wet sand and there are plenty of lovely shells she can collect.”

As Posy skipped ahead of us pouncing on any shell that caught her fancy and popping it into her bucket, Martin and I strolled behind her, the twinkling Atlantic lapping round our ankles. He took my hand and, shyly, I closed my fingers round his.

We walked along in silence. Martin suddenly stopped and kissed me. I drew back.

“No, Martin. Please don′t. Not if you don′t mean it. ” Confused, I quickly turned from him and joined Posy in her search for shells.

My heart was pounding. I was falling in love with Martin and he was unofficially engaged to Clare. ‘Don′t break my heart , Martin’, I pleaded silently.

“What did you mean about my not meaning it?” Martin asked with a frown when we were installed back in our deckchairs.

“It was something Clare said. That you and she are unofficially engaged.” Martin didn′t say anything. He drew his deckchair closer to mine.

“Listen, Jessica. Clare′s the daughter of the owner of the company we both work for.” Martin sighed. “I suppose you could say she and I are unofficially engaged. If I marry the boss′s daughter I ′ve got it made. Think of it, I′ll be travelling through life first class.”

Martin stopped and gave a short laugh. “Now I′m not so sure that′s what I want at all.”

“Why not?”

Our heads were close together and his eyes held mine.

“Because of you,” he whispered. Since I′ve met you, Jessica, I ′m not so sure that′s what I want at all. Do you know what I really want to do? I want to open my own restaurant in London.”

Martin′s voice was full of enthusiasm. “Oh I don′t mean one of those over –priced joints where the customers get ripped-off, but a place that sells good food at a reasonable price.”

“Isn′t it expensive to set up a venture like that?”

He nodded. “Yes, but the government′s still keen on people starting up their own business. I′ll be able to get a loan and a grant. In fact I′ve already made enquires. ”

“And what does Clare think about that?”

Martin picked up a handful of sand and let it run through his fingers. He told me he hadn′t mentioned it to Clare. It was either her or the restaurant. Martin explained that Claire′s father expected him to stay in the business when he married her.

“You see, Jessica,” he continued, “Clare′s father doesn′t have any sons and one day I′d be running the whole show.”

Martin leant forward and clasped his hands together. “If Clare of her father got wind of the fact that I was even thinking about not marrying her and leaving the business I′d be out like a shot. And I can′t afford that, I have to leave when I′m ready, when I′ve saved quite a bit of money.”

“But Martin, what about loyalty?” I asked.

“Loyalty is for wimps.”

“I thought I′d find you here, Martin!” It was Clare. She had appeared from nowhere and was standing with her feet planted firmly in the sand. ”What a sweet swimsuit you have on this morning, dear,” she said as she looked somewhere over my head.

While I was racking my brains for a clever reply to this patronizing remark, Martin jumped out of his chair and offered it to Clare. He and Posy played on the sand as I politely looked at the latest fashions with Clare in her magazine.

It was with a tremendous ache that I knew I′d never see Martin again. Oh yes, he talked about doing his own thing , but who on earth would really want the hassle of starting up their own business when they′ d been handed a fortune on a plate?

I hunted around in my beach bag for my sunglasses and rammed them on. Tears filled my eyes. Martin didn′t have my London address or phone number. He didn′t even know where I was staying in St.Ives.

And then it was time for them to leave. Clare linked her arm intimately through Martin′s and, like a wounded animal being deserted by its owner ,I watched Martin walk away without even turning back to wave.

Fighting the lump in my throat I dropped onto the sand next to Posy for comfort. It was then I noticed a piece of paper sticking out of the band of her candy-striped sun-hat. I pulled it out and unfolded it. In amazement I stared at the neatly written words: ’Jessica, phone me at the office tomorrow, Martin’. I pulled a surprised Posy to me and gave her a hug. “Posy,” I whispered, giving her a kiss, “every day′s going to be summer from now on.”

Elated, I spread out a towel and lay on my back, my eyes closed. I′d won. I’d got Martin. The look on Clare’s face, if only she knew, made me smile.

Slowly, the smile faded from my face and I went cold under the hot glare of the sun. I sat up, deep in thought. I could well imagine how Clare would feel, how I would feel. No wonder she hurried Martin back to London and away from me. I realized how much Clare must love him. I didn′t want Martin on those terms.

Something Martin said had lodged in the back of my mind -‘loyalty is for wimps’-so he′d just as easily flirt with another girl when with me.

I opened my hand and studied the note again. Calmly, I tore it up and dropped the pieces into my beach bag. I wouldn’t be phoning Martin tomorrow, or ever. Summer romances were like waves in the sea. They vanished without trace and

All you had left if you were lucky was a snap.

( Sandra Golding is identified as the author of this Work)

Assignments:

Ex.I. Answer the questions:

1. How did Jessica occur on the Cornish beach?

2. What was the dispute between two kids about?

3. How did Martin look at Jessica when he saw her for the first time?

4. What did Martin do before finding Posy’s plastic spade?

5. How would you describe the manner of behavior of the two young girls on the beach?

6. Why didn’t Clare hesitate to tell Jessica that Martin was a no-go area?

7. Why couldn’t Jessica get Martin out of her mind?

8. Why did Clare think they ought to return to London at lunch time?

9. What message does the sentence “ I’ll be travelling through life first class.” give us?

10.Do you agree with Martin’s statement “ Loyalty is for wimps”?

Ex. II. Use the required tense instead of the infinitives in brackets:

I ____ Posy down to St. Ives for a few days’ holiday while my sister and brother-in-law were abroad on business.( bring) 2. I _____up to _____Posy and a small boy of about five _____ on the sand ______ over her brightly ______ yellow plastic spade.( look, see, sit, wrestle, paint) 3. “Posy darling,” I _____, as I ______ down on my knees beside them, let him _____ with it for a while.”

( entreat, get, play) 4. He ______in front of the young couple _____ in the deckchairs next to mine. ( play, sit) 5.” _____ you ______,” I ______, ______ to the two children still_____ over the spade.( do, think, continue, point, squabble) 6.Sorry to ____ so rude.(be) 7. “You _____ Mum _____ you _____ to ___ with us.”(know, say, be, stay) 8. The group _____ a management conference at one of the big hotels.( hold) 9. I _____ I______a last breath of sea air before ______ back to London. ( think, get, drive) 10. If I _____the boss’s daughter I ____ it ____ .( marry, get, make)

Ex.III. Fill in prepositions or adverbs: in, without, for, through, of(4),out, up, on, into, As, over, from ,by, ahead

1.It was hard being frosty confronted _____ such a good looking man.

2.I snatched my book _____ the sand.

3.While Posy shoveled sand _____ my feet.

4._____ Posy skipped _____ _____us pouncing _____ any shell that caught her fancy and popping it ______ her bucket.

5.Isn’t it expensive to set _____ a venture like that?

6.Loyalty is _____ wimps.

7.Clare linked her arm intimately _____ Martin’s.

8.It was then I noticed a piece ______ paper sticking _____ _____ the band _____ her candy-striped sun-hat.

9.Summer romances were like waves _____ the sea.

10.They vanished _____trace and all you had left if you were lucky was a snap.

Ex.IV.Translate the following sentences:

1. Both were stubbornly holding on with grim determination.

2. It was hard being frosty confronted by such a good looking man.

3. I peered over the top of my book at him and forced a smile.

4. And she smartly marched him off.

5. She threw me a smile that didn’t quite reach her blue eyes and promptly lowered the glasses back onto her nose.

6. I took this news as calmly as I could.

7. Thrilled I waved back.

8. “ I see,” I said, not seeing at all.

9. “ Clare’s father doesn’t have any sons and one day I’d be running the whole show.”

10. Who on earth would really want the hassle of starting up their own business when they’d been handed a fortune on a plate?

Ex.V.What words from the text can be used instead of “answer” and “ say”?

6.Describe Jessica, Martin and Clare Give characteristics ….

7.Role-Play the parts of Martin, Jessica and Thomas

8. Speak on the setting of the story.

9. Express your own opinion on the content of the story.

10. Speak on one of the stories ( from a book or a film)about a ghost.

Close to the Edge

With a sigh, I put down me case in the station waiting room, wrapped my coat round me against the draught and settled back for what looked like a long wait. Not a very romantic beginning to an affair.

A young girl squashed herself in next to me. “Sorry”, she said breathlessly, as she organized two carrier bags round her ankles. “I thought I`d miss the train. I ran all the way and now I hear nothing`s moving because of a points failure”.

I nodded. I thought perhaps I should ring my mother so see if the twins were all right. Better not. I`d only just left them and Mum would be preparing their tea. I`d ring when I got to London.

“Have you heard what time the train to London will be leaving”?

“The announcement said no trains for at least an hour. That was five minutes ago”.

“Oh”. The girl finished rummaging in a bag and straightened up. She proceeded to wire herself up for sound on her personal stereo. She threw one blue denim leg over the other and her fingers tapped in time with what sounded like Madonna.

Five minutes later, she dismantled the headphones and stowed the equipment back in her bag. “Are you going to London?” she asked.

“Yes”. I looked at the person on my other side who seemed to be asleep, her handbag clasped to her bosom. Good idea. I closed my eyes and hoped Miss Chatterbox would leave me in peace. I wondered if I should ring Alistair at the office. No - I`d wait and see what happened. I`d ring him in an hour if there was a further delay.

But maybe I should phone my mother to see if Sophie and Shaun were all right…

“Like a crisp”?

I turned and looked at the girl. “Thank you. Why don`t we go and find a cup of tea?” I suggested, glad after all to have someone to distract me, to stop these awful feelings of doubt creeping in. “I`m terribly thirsty”.

“Me, too. Thanks a lot.”

We gathered up our possessions and made our way down the platform to the station buffet. The girl chatted away nonstop but I couldn`t concentrate; my mind kept going back to the twins. They had never been away from home before. Shaun had looked so forlorn when I`d left them. I could still see him standing there, clutching his teddy bear, his face starting to crumple.

“Are you going to London for a holiday?” I asked quietly, trying to blink away the memory of Shaun`s face.

“No.” The girl glanced cautiously over her shoulder and leant forward. “I`m running away from home,” she whispered.

“Running away?” I whispered back, jolted out of my own problems.

“That`s right. I`ve had enough of being nagged,” came the defiant reply. I stared at the girl`s bright face with its blue eyes and wavy rich brown hair. Her eye shadow, an interesting shade of green, matched her nail varnish.

“How old are you?”

“Fifteen.”

“Things must be pretty bad at home to make you take such a drastic step.”

“Well, the thing is” – the girl took a gulp of tea – “I don`t get on with my mum. It`s Keeley, tidy up your room, Keeley, you`ve got too much make-up on, Keeley, you`ve got to be in before ten.” She shook her head. “It`s one row after another. But I`ve got my own life to lead. I`m a person in my own right.”

These words had a familiar ring to them. Isn`t that what I`d said to Alistair?

No. That`s what Alistair had told me.

“Mary,” he`d said, “you`re a person in your own right. But what are you doing with your life, knocking yourself out, running round after your husband and two kids? You`ve got a right to steal a bit of happiness for yourself.”

And so here I was, waiting to embark on a week of romance with my husband`s best friend. Alistair had been best man at our wedding but we hadn`t seen very much of him after that; that is, until he came to the fifth wedding anniversary party Patrick and I had given at home last week.

Funny, I`d never given Alistair a moment`s thought before then. Patrick and I moved out of London after our wedding. We had come to live in this Midlands town and Patrick had started up a DIY shop. The twins were born the following year. The strain of looking after them had brought my mother up to stay with us. Now that the twins were four, however, my mum had found herself a small flat a few miles away.

Patrick and I had seen Alistair on a couple of occasions before the twins were born, when we went to London to treat ourselves to a night out. Each time Alistair had a different girl with him, hanging on to his arm, looking up at him adoringly.

“The trouble with Alistair,” Patrick had said when we returned to our hotel after going out for a meal, “is that he likes to play the field. I think it boosts his ego. I`ve told him there`s nothing like marriage.”

“I don`t know what they see in him,” I`d replied.

“Glad to hear it,” he`d whispered, hugging me tightly. “I love you so much. I couldn`t imagine life without you.”

But at the party last week I could see all too well what girls saw in Alistair. He made them feel important.

Alistair had come without a partner but stayed by my side for most of the evening. When I went into the kitchen to take the food through to the lounge, there he was offering to help. He took the tray from me, covering my hands with his. I flushed with pleasure and looked away.

As I mingled with the other guests, friends and relatives mostly from London, Alistair followed, joining each group of people as I stood chatting to them. He kept smiling at me, giving me approving looks. I couldn`t remember when I had last felt so attractive and appreciated.

It was exactly now Patrick used to make me feel, used to being the key words. The romance had long gone from our marriage – at least, that`s what it felt like.

Patrick would leave early for the shop six days a week, and get back after I`d put the twins to bed. We`d both flop down exhausted in front of the TV after dinner, hardly speaking a word all evening. On Sundays he liked to potter in the garden or do odd jobs around the house.

If it hadn`t been for my mother, to whom I spoke on the phone every day, I think I would have gone mad, with hardly anyone to talk to except the twins. I loved them more than I thought possible. Every day I watched them wonder at their growing world – but you can hardly talk over your problems with two four-years-olds.

“Good party, wasn`t it?” Patrick said when we were clearing up after everyone had gone. “And as for Alistair, I told him to bring someone up from London with him but he said he`d find someone here! Mind you, just goes to show, that fatal charm didn`t work this time. He went back to his hotel alone.”

“Patrick, can we talk? Leave the clearing up for now.”

“Mary, you know I do.”

My voice rose. “Then why don`t you tell me?”

“Just because I don`t tell you doesn`t mean I don`t love you.” He took me gently in his arms. “What`s the matter, Mary? Aren`t you happy ?”

“Of course I am,” I said, stifling a sob. “I`m just being silly. Come on, let`s get this lot washed up. I don`t fancy coming down to it in the morning.”

Alistair phoned at ten the next morning, Monday. “How about inviting me round for coffee?” he said casually.

“Well I`d like to, Alistair, but I have to leave at twelve to pick up Sophie and Shaun from playschool.” I realized I was playing hard to get, just as I`d done before I met Patrick.

“In that case,” came the confident reply, “I`ll be right over.” It seemed strange, Alistair sitting in Patrick`s chair in the kitchen.

“You know, I always said Patrick was the one man whose marriage I envied. You looked stunning last night, by the way. I couldn`t take my eyes off you. Very sexy. I wanted to…”

“You shouldn`t be talking like this,” I interrupted, the colour rising in my cheeks. “In fact, you shouldn`t be here at all. When are you going back to London?” I took a gulp of coffee.

“Today, tomorrow, who knows? It`s up to you.”

He reached across the table, took my hand and kissed it. Flustered, I pushed my chair back, took my mug over to the sink and started to wash it up. I heard the scrape of a chair and Alistair was behind me, his arms round my waist. He was kissing my neck, my hair, murmuring how he loved me, how he wanted me.

Trembling, I turned round against his strong body and wound my arms round his neck.

“Alistair, oh, Alistair,” I whispered.

“Let`s go upstairs.” His voice was low and coaxing.

“No! We must stop.” I pushed him away.

“You want to – you know you do.”

“Not here, not in this house.” I swept hair back from my burning forehead.

“My hotel?”

“No,no! I can`t go back to your hotel. Look, I must go now. I have to collect the children. Please, let`s forget this ever happened.”

“Mary, we can`t just forget! You`re a person in your own right!”

And Alistair went on to tell me how I deserved more from life than just being a wife and mother. I could see there was truth in what he was saying, of course. Everything I did was for Patrick and the children.

“Wait,” Alistair said, “I`ll think of something.” And he had it all worked out…

“By the way,” I said later that day, as Patrick and I ate our evening meal. “ I had a phone call from Sandy today.”

“Sandy? Who`s Sandy?”

I studied my plate. “You remember, I`m sure I`ve told you about her before. She`s a girl I was at school with. I haven`t seen her for ages.”

“That`s nice.” Patrick reached for the mustard.

“The thing is, she invited me to spend a few days with her in London next week and I said yes. I hope you don`t mind.” Slowly I raised my head and shot him a glance.

“It`ll be the first time we`ve slept apart since we were married except for when the twins were born,” Patrick said, looking crestfallen. It filled me with guilt and remorse to see how easy it was to lie to my husband. I`d already sprung the lie on my mother that afternoon – I didn`t feel any better about deceiving her, either.

Keeley`s lively voice brought me back to earth. “And Tina`s always playing around with my make-up.”

“Sorry. What? Who`s Tina?” I hadn`t been listening to a word Keeley had been saying.

“My sister. She`s eleven and she`s a right pain.”

“You say you`re running away from home. Who are you going to stay with?”

“No-one, yet,” Keeley said airily, “but something`ll turn up. I`ll find some friends when I get there.”

“But what about your mum?”

“I`ll phone her when I get to London. Tell, her I`m there and that I won`t be coming back.”

“Do you know anyone in London?”

“Nope.”

“Well, I suppose you know what you`re doing.” I shrugged, sat back and stirred my tea. “Won`t she be wondering where you are by now, anyway? Unless, of course, she doesn`t care where you are…”

“Yes, she does!” Keeley`s eyes flashed. “She wouldn`t have got back from work yet. She`s bringing us up on her own, you see.” The words were coming out in a rush. “And even though she goes out to work, she still cooks us a nice meal every day, and she sees we have breakfast. As soon as she gets a pay rise, she`s going to take me and Tina to Majorca, on holiday.”

“So why are you leaving?”

“Because – because –” All the confidence had gone. Keeley looked like a lost child. “Because I don`t think my mum really loves me.” She was fighting back the tears.

“Oh, Keeley, of course she loves you. Everything you`ve said shows that she loves you. In London, nobody will care if you live or die – you`ll be able to stay out all night or stay in bed all day, if that`s what really matters to you. But how on earth are you going to be able to afford to live? What are you going to live on?”

While Keeley digested her sandwich at this alarming picture, I ploughed on. “Look,” I said, “just because you have rows with your mother doesn`t mean she loves you any less. You don`t love her less, do you?”

Keeley shook her head vigorously.

“Well then, all parents have to take a strong line with their children. You`re old enough to understand that your mother`s having a hard time, surely. Perhaps she might think you don`t love her.”

The young face looked stricken.

“We mustn`t always wait for the other person to say they love us,” I went on – then stopped. Why hadn`t I thought of that before? When was the last time I`d told Patrick I loved him without waiting for him to say it first? If I hadn`t been on selfish, I would have seen that everything he did was for me and the children. It must have been a terrible strain keeping the business afloat with so many going bankrupt.

“You know something, Keeley,” I reflected slowly, almost to myself, “sometimes it`s quite difficult to tell people we love them. Sometimes it`s difficult for them to tell us. But we can show it in lots of ways. Your mum shows it by trying to bring you up to do things for yourself and by cooking you meals.” I smiled. “When was the last time you bought her some flowers?”

Keeley thought for a moment. “Mother`s Day. Me and Tina always give her a bunch of flowers every Mother`s Day.”

“But don`t you think it would be nice if you bought her some at other times? Just to show her you love her and you understand how hard she`s working for you?”

I was amazed at myself. Here I was, so pious, so wise, dishing out advice to a total stranger and, at the same time, on the brink of having a fling with my husband`s best friend! I had upset my husband, my children and my mother. I was a liar and accomplished schemer. A fine person to be talking!

Looking round at the resigned faces of the other people in the station buffet, I wondered what private horrors they were harbouring. I glanced at Keeley. We both had the same problem!

“Keeley, does your mother actually know how you feel? Have you told her that you don`t think she loves you?”

“No”, Keeley whispered, pushing her sandwich into a little heap.

Learning forward, I said clearly, “Do you know the one thing that people who love each other don`t do?”

“No?”

“Talk. They don`t talk to each other.” I clasped my hands tightly together.

“If things go wrong at home, they have a row, or run away, or pretend everything`s all right and bottle it all up and get resentful.”

That was it, of course. I could see now that when Patrick asked me if I was happy I should have said no.

“We have to tell the people we love what`s really the matter, how we really feel, and give them a chance to tell us. We have to…”

I was interrupted by an announcement that the train standing on Platform one would be leaving for London in fifteen minutes.

As one, passengers in the buffet rose and trooped out on to the platform. We stood together, I with my suitcase, Keeley with her worldly possession in two carrier bags, looking at the train.

Keeley turned to me. I`m homesick, “she announced”. “ I`m going to buy a bunch of flowers and then I`m going home.”

“Do you know something, Keeley? I`m feeling homesick,too,I`m going to make a phone call to London, collect my children and I`m going home as well.

That train`s going to have to go to London without us!”

( Sandra Golding is identified as the author of this Work)

Assignments:

Ex. I. Answer the questions:

1. How did Keeley get to the station?

2. Why was Mary bothering about Sophie and Shaun?

3. Why did Keeley decide to take such a drastic step?

4. What were Mary’s duties about the family?

5. Who was Alistair?

6. Why had the romance gone from their marriage?

7. Whose marriage did Alistair envy and why?

8. How did Alistair behave himself in Patrick’s house?

9. What are the most common complaints of Keeley who was dissatisfied with her mother?

10. Why is the story called “Close to the Edge”?

Ex.II. Fill in the gaps with appropriate words given below. Choose the right word among four options.

1.Not a very romantic_____ to an affair.

a. beginning b. start c. commence d. initiation

2.The_____ said no trains for at least an hour.

a. advertisement b. broadcast c. bulletin d. announcement

3.I looked at the person on my other side who seemed to be asleep, her handbag _____to her bosom.

a. embraced b. clasped c. hold d. fastened

4. I suggested, glad after all to have someone to_____ me, to stop these awful feelings of doubt creeping in.

a. amuse b. distract c. disturb d. trouble

5. We gathered up our_____ and made our way down the platform to the station buffet.

a. goods b. estate c. possessions d. belonging

6. The girl chatted away_____ but I couldn’t concentrate.

a. constant b. direct c. unbroken d. nonstop

7. I could still see him standing there, clutching his teddy bear, his face starting to_____ .

a. go to pieces b. wrinkle c. crumple d. clutch

8. I asked quietly, trying to_____ away the memory of Shaun’s face.

a. glimpse b. flash c. blink d. shine

9. Things must be pretty bad at home to make you take such a_____step.

a. extreme b. harsh c. severe d. drastic

10. I’m feeling_____ , too, I’m going to make a phone call to London, collect my children and I’m going home as well.

a. abandoned b. cheerful c. homesick d. relaxing

Ex.III. Look up the following words in a dictionary, write the transcriptions

and put the stress on the words:

1. announcement

2. rummage

3. possession

4. defiant

5. forlorn

6. mingle

7. crestfallen

8. remorse

9. plough on

10.pious

Ex.IV. Fill in necessary prepositions or adverbs ( away, by, against, on(2),

out, round, up for, back, in(3), across, away, just, to, at, about, for )

1. I wrapped my coat_____) me_____the draught and settled_____ .(round, against, back)

2. She proceeded to wire herself_____ sound_____her personal stereo.

(up for, on )

3.I closed my eyes and hoped Miss Chatterbox would leave me_____ peace.(in)

4. The girl chatter red_____(away)nonstop. (away)

5.But what are you doing_____ your life, knocking yourself_____(with, out).

6. He reached_____ the table, took my hand and kissed it. (across)

7.” Mary, we can’t_____forget! You’re a person_____your own right! ” (just, in )

8. Keeley’s lively voice brought me back_____earth. (to)

9. “But what_____ your mum?” (about)

10. I was interrupted _____(by) an announcement that the train standing _____(on)Platform one would be leaving_____(for) London_____(in) fifteen minutes. (by, on, for, in)

Ex.V.Use the transitive and intransitive verbs below in an appropriate tense

to complete the sentences.

close, organize, leave, hope, leave, throw, glance, tap, be, join, sound, lean, imagine, be, give, can, mingle, talk, follow

1.“ Sorry”, she said breathlessly, as she_____ two carrier bags round her ankles.

2. She_____ one blue denim leg over the other and her fingers _____in time with what_____ like Madonna.

3. I_____my eyes and_____Miss Chatterbox _____me in peace.

4. They never_____ away from home before.

5. The girl_____cautiously over her shoulder and_____forward.

6. Alistair_____ the best man at our wedding.

7.Funny, I_____never Alistair a moment’s thought before then.

8.” I love you so much. I_____not imagine life without you.”

Date: 2015-02-16; view: 772