In days long past, there was a tale of a grand house built without purpose. “Did we truly raise that great house for nothing?” snapped the mother-in-law. “Then return half its worth!”
“I must speak plainly with you,” said the woman with cropped hair, settling across from Emily. “Before you court my son, you should know a few things.”
Emily, a fair-haired lass, gazed in wonder at her future kinswoman, whom she had met but thrice in all her years.
“Listen well,” declared Margaret Whitmore with pride. “If you wish to join our family, understand thismy sons first duty is to his parents! Weve no need of a daughter-in-law who means to rule him.”
“Am I ruling him?” Emily interrupted.
“Pray, let me finish. Have patience,” the older woman retorted sharply.
The girl lowered her eyes at once, flushing crimson. She dreaded offending Thomass mother. Their courtship was new, and Emily had no wish to test it.
“Indeed,” Margaret continued, “our family has long laid plans. Once Thomas weds, we shall all move into the grand house nearly finished. A happy household we shall be!”
“Marvellous!” Emily forced a smile.
Margaret arched a brow, surprised at such quick agreement. She had not expected so swift a surrender.
“How pleased I am! We shall be fast friends,” she said, with a knowing wink.
From then, she praised the girl to her son, calling her clever, kind, and devoted. Flattered, Emily redoubled her efforts to please. She brought gifts, great and small, with or without occasion, to show her regard.
A year on, fearing the match might falter, Margaret pressed her son to propose. “When will you ask her?” she demanded almost daily. “Delay, and she may slip through your fingersthen youll rue it!”
At last, Thomas agreed, and with a glad heart, Emily accepted. The wedding was paid for by his parents, and this only confirmed her belief she had chosen well.
For three months, the newlyweds dwelled in a rented flat. Then Margaret announced the house was ready.
“Pack your thingswe move at once!” she cried.
“Why? We are content here!” Emily frowned, having no wish to live beneath her mother-in-laws roof.
“How now? We agreed long ago!” Margaret was astounded.
“Agree if you likeI shant join you!” Emily sniffed. “Well keep our own house. Since youve moved out, Thomas and I shall take your flat!”
Margaret stood speechless a moment. “You gave your word,” she said at last, voice tight.
“Words are wind. Ive changed my mind,” Emily said coldly.
“Impudence!” Margaret hissed. “Deceit!” She slammed down the phone.
Emily listened to the dial tone, then set the receiver aside. Soon, the kitchen telephone rangThomas answering his mothers furious call.
When he hung up, Emily entered. His face was stormy. “Whats this?” he demanded.
“What troubles you?” She folded her arms.
“Mother called. She demands payment.”
“Payment? For what?”
“For the house. Did you promise her wed live there?”
“I said nothing of the sort,” Emily lied.
“You agreed to her scheme, didnt you?”
“What if I did? Ive changed my mind.”
“And I refused, thinking it folly! That house stood unfinished three yearsuntil she completed it after our wedding. For you!”
“Finished or not, whats it to me?”
Thomas said no more, for the phone rang again. But this time, he thrust it at her. “You speak.”
The moment Margaret heard Emilys voice, she raged. “Repay the houses cost!”
“What cost? Have you lost your wits?”
“So we built it for naught? Then return half its value!”
“Half? Never!”
“Fifty thousand pounds! You owe fifty thousand! Fail, and”
“What will you do? I signed nothing!”
“Then well cut all ties!”
“Gracious!” Emily laughed and hung up.
Margaret then demanded payment from Thomasfive thousand pounds each month.
“At this rate, youll repay me in ten years! Either move into the house, or increase the sum.”
With no means to pay more, Thomas yielded. But Emily would not hear of it, and within half a year, the marriage was broken.
