Then he saw that the young woman was his daughter-inlaw, Annabel.

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Last updated Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 11:57

The Prodigal Parents, by Sinclair Lewis

Chapter 38

Returning from her bland and chatty drive to Bandol, Hazel climbed out of the mildewed limousine, calling to Lady Jaxon, ‘Such a pleasant trip, and indeed I will look into the Cotswolds.’

She revolved and saw, entering the Villa Sophie, a procession consisting of her husband, looking agitated, of Annabel Staybridge Cornplow, who was, of course, not here at all, but in Sachem Falls, U.S.A., of her first grandchild, F. Roosevelt Cornplow, who didn’t exist, except as a sentence in a cablegram and a few gushing pages in a letter, a porter, with bags that seemed familiar, and a furious cocher, who had not received his fare.

‘Good heavens and earth!’ said Hazel.

Her slight jealousy of Annabel vanished in joy of this dear, customary face; she swooped on the girl, kissed her, kissed the baby and babbled, ‘Bell — Bell — and the baby — but only six weeks old — how could you come — where is Howard — what’s it all mean — Bell — I couldn’t believe my eyes — I can’t!’

Fred mumbled, ‘Oh yes you can. It just means Howard has gone to pieces, and I’ve got to sail from Havre tomorrow afternoon and yank him out of it.’

Annabel’s room in the Villa Sophie, where the baby was asleep in a crib improvised from a bureau drawer, a room with clattering composition stone floor, high panelled plastered walls, and frigid pink-and-gilt ceiling, seemed unfriendly to them, these lost Americans, and to Annabel’s sorrows.

‘Now what is it, dear? Where’s Howard?’ said Hazel.

‘Back home. He didn’t want me to come. But he was drunk. He couldn’t prevent my coming. Father gave me the money. But Father wouldn’t go see Howard. He just laughed at me. He talked about giving me a trip to Reno as a belated wedding present, Father did . . . I don’t just know why I came here. I just felt so lonely in our flat, with Howard lying drunk.’

‘Honey, I don’t know what I can say that’s very comforting. But let’s see if there’s anything I can do. What about Howard’s business — Bogey & Cornplow?’ said Fred.

‘Howard said Ben cheated him. Ben said Howard hurt their business — not booze so much as he didn’t keep dates. They quarrelled. At the flat. I grabbed Howard’s arm and kept him from hitting Ben. Ben bought him out — for five hundred dollars. He’s living on that, and the money Judge Appletree sends him from you. But I don’t think it will last. He keeps giving it to Cal Tillery . . .’

‘Cal? Cousin Cal?’ Fred was appalled.

‘Yes. Howard says Cal is his only friend. Cal doesn’t nag him. Cal’s brother, Mac, got fed up with them and actually went to work. He was so surprised to find he liked it! Now, Howard and Cal have bought a garage together — that is, Howard gives Cal the money, and Cal SAYS he’s paying for it, on time. Howard never goes near the place. Mostly he stays in the flat. And Cal brings him in booze. Cal laughed at me.’