Though Margaret proved a wonderful daughter-in-law and a devoted wife, in time she managed to lose not only her marriage but also herself.
Margaret, you see, was an orphan, raised within the stone walls of a childrens home in Yorkshire. At the tender age of eighteen, she entered into matrimony; the responsibilities of marriage and domestic life were foreign to her, for she had not a soul among her friends who had walked that path before her. The moment she stepped over the threshold of her husbands modest London flat, Margaret eagerly absorbed every morsel of wisdom about being the perfect wife. Her chief instructor in these matters was none other than her husband’s own mother.
Of course, Margaret had overheard countless tales about the meddling ways of mothers-in-law, but held firm to hope that, lacking a mother of her own, her mother-in-law would fill that role and wish her well. In truth, the woman meant Margaret no real harm, yet the outcome told a different tale. With enthusiasm and great intent, she began to initiate her new daughter-in-law in the ways of family life, and one of her first dictums was, Whenever a husband strays, its the wifes fault.
Why, thought Margaret, surely the blame lies with the one who betrays. Yet in this household, it was otherwise. According to her mother-in-law, the wife carries the burden of her husbands infidelity because, more often than not, she has let herself go, ceasing to be alluring in his eyes. Thus, she urged Margaret to maintain an elegant figure, even in old age; so dutifully, Margaret scrawled in her notebookDont put on weightand joined the local exercise club.
Though always slender, Margarets fear of gaining weight spurred her into dieting. Once shed fulfilled this lesson, her mother-in-law laid another truth before her: In a proper English household, both husband and wife contribute to the pot.
Margaret agreed quietly, for in her heart, she longed for the independence a job might bring. She was willing to undertake any work she could find. When she inquired how she ought to manage during maternity leave, her mother-in-law dismissed her gently: Thats your own problem to solve; how you cope is up to you!
Though that particular wisdom didnt find a place in her notebook, Margaret soon revisited it when, a few years into marriage, she took her own maternity leave and began a part-time post as a childminder. Margaret found some contentment in this arrangement, but her husband and his mother quickly started to grumble that she brought in too few pounds.
Thinking little of it, Margaret reasoned it couldnt possibly hurt if her small earnings paid for the occasional trip to the hairdressers. Yet, another pronouncement swiftly followed: No reason to primp while youre on maternity leave! Save your money and worry about hair and makeup when youre back at work!
All Margarets savings were duly handed over to her husband. Throughout all the years of wedlock, the guiding voice remained her mother-in-laws: A good wife keeps her own house spotless without help!
Thus it went. Margaret managed everything by herself, working until she was worn to a shadow. Fainting became so commonplace, it was almost part of her routine. Most nights, once her youngest child finally drifted to sleep around nine oclock, Margaret would set to tidying the house and preparing supper for next daywhile her husband, having completed his tenth nap, declared himself exhausted by the burdensome task of earning a living.
That Margaret eventually wound up in hospital came as no surprise. Shed never taken the time to heed the twinges and aches signalling the beginnings of something more serious. She spent over a fortnight under the care of the NHS, and throughout that time, neither husband nor mother-in-law came to visit. Luckily, Margaret had brought her mobile with her, and it was her dear friend Alice who arrived with everything she lacked. Upon release from hospital, Margaret wasted no time in filing for a divorce.
