The Travels of Anadrasata Nearabhigan: Elsewhere on Day 24
I thought that it was time to look in on Anadrasata's family again. Just for a short visit.
This piece runs to 1,299 words and I hope that you enjoy it.
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Tallaig Nearabhaign was paying a call on his mother and his eldest sister. Anna didn't normally reside with their mother, but she and her husband were staying there to keep Mother company while their middle sister, Anadrasata, was away rendering assistance to Mother's recently widowed aunt. It had taken mere days for Anna and her husband to discover that this meant acting as an unpaid housekeeper and companion with a household budget that was meagre compared to Mother's resources and expectations. Their mother's reaction to complaints was that Anadrasata had been managing things perfectly well on that budget. The reality was, she hadn't been.
As Anadrasata’s guardian, Tallaig was annoyed with himself because he hadn't paid sufficient attention to his middle sister's situation. The issues were complicated by a fraud that had been perpetrated by Tallaig's former man of business, and Tallaig was expecting that he was going to have to make certain things very clear to Mother - things such as, going forward Anadrasata's annual allowance would be paid direct to Anadrasata instead of to their mother. Mother wasn't going to get Anadrasata's share of the recovered stolen funds either, and he was rather expecting some combination of tears, the vapours, and accusations of unfilial conduct.
Today, however, he'd come to share good news.
When he was shown into the sitting room where his mother was reading through her morning mail, he greeted her cheerfully and asked after her health.
"As well as can be expected," she replied offering her cheek for a kiss. "I received a letter from Anadrasata this morning. She assures me that she is well, though I'm not quite sure why I should be worried." His mother looked genuinely perplexed and for a moment Tallaig wondered how much of the situation his sister had explained in her letter, and how much his mother had read.
"I received a letter from her this morning too," he replied. "In my letter she explained quite clearly that her ship was almost hit by another passenger liner but she is quite unharmed. It's the incident near Amnestri that's been in all the papers with the Inquiry, and then the criminal investigations into the affairs of the Northern Stars Line director who caused the incident."
"Oh, I stopped reading about that days ago," Mrs Nearabhaign said airily. "The articles in the paper weren't saying anything new, and what they were saying about Mr dh'Lhong was all rather nasty, so I didn't want to know any more. It must be quite distressing for his mother. I met her you know, many years ago, when I was presented to the provincial governor and his wife at a ball in the Town Hall, before I met your father. She was already Lady Maikhas dh'Lhong of course, and her husband was there too. He was very good looking, as I recall."
"Mother," he interrupted as his oldest sister, Anna, entered the room followed by a maid carrying a tea tray, "I'm sure your recollections are fascinating, but the dh'Lhongs have nothing to do with the status of Anadrasata's health."
"Aside from Caitus dh'Lhong doing his best to kill her and everyone else on both their ships," put in Anna as she sat down. The maid put the tray down on the low table in front of Anna and left the room. "Assuming of course that she hasn't met the man in person. The written reports of his activities make one concerned for any woman who might accidentally find herself within arm's reach of him. Castor and I were quite relieved when Anadrasata's letter to me arrived this morning. We were certain that she left Glastriel on the Pearlish Star but the likelihood of that ship being involved in an incident like that had us second guessing our memories."
Their mother queried, "But why would we be concerned about Anadrasata's safety?"
"Because several people on the Empress Mhaihild were severely injured," replied Tallaig. "The newspapers don't necessarily tell the entire story, and an untitled gentlewoman isn't as interesting as anyone with a title unless something spectacularly bad has happened to her."
"Don't be ridiculous," his mother gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Nothing's going to happen to Anadrasata. She's going to help my Aunt Giltreeada and then she's going to come back home and look after me."
As Anna passed her mother a cup of tea prepared to her liking, Tallaig said firmly, "No. Anadrasata is not coming back here to look after you. You don't need looking after, Mother. You're perfectly healthy and in fine fettle for a woman of your age. If you want to be looked after, then I suggest that you hire a housekeeper, a companion, and, perhaps, a nurse. When Anadrasata returns home, she can stay with me while she decides how and where she wants to live. Besides, your expectations have no effect on the vagaries of chance and accident."
"Anadrasata will decide to live with me and take up her duties here again," replied Mrs Nearabhaign calmly before sipping her tea. Then she added, "She knows what's expected of her and she will do her duty."
"When she comes back, I will tell her all about the trust fund and her annual allowance," replied Tallaign. "I suspect that my middle sister has been doing what you tell her because she believes that she is dependent on you for a roof over her head. It was badly done of me to let her think that - as her guardian I should have done better by her." He accepted his own cup of tea from Anna with a murmur of thanks, and then went on, "Do not expect to receive any further installments of Anadrasata's allowance. I will be keeping it aside for her so she can make decisions and take action on them when she returns."
"And what about my comfort and consequence?" His mother drew herself up in her seat. "I have always expected-. No, I am entitled to expect one of my daughters to remain with me as I get older."
Anna put down her own teacup and put in, "I don't know why you'd expect that, Mother. You didn't stay home with Grandmother, you married Father and went to live with him in his houses."
"That was different," her mother pronounced. "I was an only child and my mother wanted grandchildren. Completely different circumstances. I have three other children to give me grandchildren." She drank a little more of her tea and added, "If Anadrasata is not to stay home with me, then Sura will have to give up her studies so she can do so."
"Again, no," replied Tallaig firmly. "I am also Sura's guardian, and I am not going to allow you to make her miserable. We both know that studying at the University makes her radiantly happy. I have already reimbursed you the funds you should have received from me for her education costs, but I can easily pay future tuition fees direct to the Bursar's Office." He drank some more tea.
"But what about my expenses and my charities," demanded his mother indignantly.
"You have a jointure of two thousand a year and the use of this house for which you do not pay rent," replied Tallaig calmly. "Many families of our class live well on less."
Anna calmly helped herself to a sweet biscuit, no doubt buoyed by the knowledge that she and her husband were not fixtures in the Nearabhaign dower house.
"I am a leader of local society," declared Mrs Nearabhaign. "You cannot expect me to concede my position. The mayor's wife would just like that, wouldn't she?"
Tallaig drank more of his tea. It was going to be a more difficult morning than he had expected.