A Handful Of English Classic

Acknowledgments

To my family, my friends, and all the people who have found true love with the power to endure and overcome any obstacle.

Biography of the Author

MIRYAM M. ROCHE has a B.A. and M.A. in English and French Language and Literature from the University of Hawaii, in the United States and in addition, a B.A in philosophy from the same university. Also, she has a B.A. in psychology and a M.A. and a PhD. in Clinical Psychology from Cambridge University, England. The author was born in Chillan, Chile and now lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, in the United States and Santiago, Chile.

Introduction

A Handful of English Classic is a social satire about Charlotte Wellington, the wife of a millionaire English journalist, Edward Wellington, who loves and preserves his classic English aristocratic values that are threatened in today’s society. Charlotte’s husband thinks that his marriage is perfect. However, young and sexy Charlotte has two extramarital love affairs, one with a student where she teaches French Literature at Harvard University, and the other with the tutor of their children. Edward forgives her unfaithfulness the first time, but would he forgive her the second time?

The novel is set in Boston, Massachusetts, the U.S. London, England, and Santiago and the south of Chile.

Throughout the novel, the author immortalizes her memories of her rich upbringing in the country style mansions surrounded by many housekeepers and her memories find their way throughout the novel. For example, the novel’s protagonist, Charlotte Wellington, comes from a wealthy Chilean family of English heritage. The author presents the wealthy British descendants living in harmony with the maids who accept their lower status and are happy to serve the rich owner of the mansion.

In the novel, the author evokes the beauty of the Chilean countryside in summer time when Charlotte’s family goes for the harvesting of wheat in the huge country estate where they enjoy horseback riding. In one scene, Charlotte’s father tells her that the English horses are the best. In other scenes, Charlotte and Edward enjoy going to equestrian polo country clubs in England.

The author’s parents hired a tutor to teach her English. She modeled that classic tradition for the novel because the main characters, Edward and Charlotte hire a tutor, Gerard Lovell, to teach their children French, Spanish, and English. Although Roche’s classical tradition of hiring a tutor to teach their children languages is costly and outdated, she preserves that tradition in the novel. Not only the author’s passion for learning finds its way into the novel, but also her passion for books because the novel starts in the library at Harvard University, and she has bookshelves filled with books in her mansion.

What motivated her to write the novel? She was grieving the suicide of her Cambridge educated English lover and was very sad thinking about what could have been if he had not committed suicide. Therefore, some of what could have been found their way into the character of Charlotte. She knew that she wanted to be his wife and have his children. She was very lonely and depressed, so the novel was catharsis to express her deep repressed emotions of what her lover and she wanted to do and helped her to survive the tragedy. Another reason was to preserve the English traditions such as hunting, horseback riding, butlers, and live-in housekeepers that are fading away in contemporary English descendant’s society. The author took about six years to write it. She mostly enjoyed writing the novel at sunrise sitting at her desk facing the beautiful Waikiki beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, lying on the beach, and in her Range Rover when she became stuck in traffic. Other times, the author pulled her vehicle alongside the road to write whenever a good idea for her novel popped up. The author revised the manuscript many times until she realized she had written what she wanted and did not want to add or erase anything. The more she read it, the more she liked it.

The author shows love triangles to demonstrate real marriage problems of the contemporary human experience. For instance, there is a beautiful scene when Charlotte goes to a secluded country inn while her husband travels out of town on a business trip. Edward represents the typical powerful aristocratic British husband who resists any value that is not aristocratic, but Charlotte’s lover follows his passions. The love triangles were highly influenced by medieval English and French romances such as Tristan and Iseult, Lancelot, and Arthurian romances. In the novel, gradually, the relationship between Charlotte and Edward grows until she becomes faithful to him and her children. Charlotte’s previous love affairs strengthen her love for Edward, so Charlotte’s marriage is very strong at the end, but something unexpected happens.

The novel has the emotional potential to make people happy, sad, jealous, angry, and excited. The author feels delighted to have shared with you her passion for the classic English values that are fading away in contemporary society. She hopes you enjoy it.

Sebastian Norton

November 2014

ENGLISH CLASSIC I

CHAPTER I

In early spring, one morning, Charlotte walks across from the classroom where she teaches French literature at Harvard University to the library to do research on theories and experimental studies on learning. Many students and professors are walking to their classes on the green grounds with blooming trees and flowers. Some of them smile at Charlotte and say, Hi. Then, she turns in to the library and walks up to the second floor. In the psychology section, when Charlotte finds a Journal of Memory, Learning, and Cognition that is high on a bookshelf, she stands on a footstool and gets it. After she makes copies of an article, she gets some books and then goes downstairs to check them out. At a desk in the lobby, George, one of Charlotte’s students who has a crush on her since the first day he saw her teaching French, is reading Plato’s Symposium that speaks about love. When he looks up and notices Charlotte checking out some books, he smiles fascinated, stops reading, and hurries to meet her.

"Bonjour!" George says cheerfully as he stands next to her.

Charlotte turns and says with a warm smile, "Bonjour, George. Are you doing research for the assignment?"

Oh, yes, he says. And for a novel.

How interesting!

How about you?

Oh, I’m doing research for my dream university in Chile.

Wow!

They look and smile at each other as they talk. He finds her very young and beautiful as he looks at her big blue eyes and shoulder length straight blond hair. They are almost the same age. His boyish face looks very seductive as his round blue eyes beam at Charlotte. He is a bit taller than her. Then, talking excitedly, they walk across the lobby towards the exit.

A week ago, Charlotte had assigned her students to think about a topic for a fifteen page written assignment.

What’s the topic of your research? Charlotte asks.

Knighthood in Medieval French Literature.

She smiles and says, That’s a very interesting topic!

Great! he says patting his hair.

"La chevalerie," Charlotte says smiling.

She fascinates him. Through the windows at the entrance of the library, they see that it is raining heavily. When they walk out, she offers him a ride home after he tells her that his car has broken down. Walking to the parking lot in the rain, each of them holds an umbrella. They have not expected that it was going to rain, but both of them have one. It is cold. They shiver as they walk. Suddenly, the rain comes down in sheets, and they laugh when a sudden gust of wind blows her umbrella inside out.

Oh, my god! she giggles.

Let me help you, he says as he holds her umbrella and tries to fix it, but it breaks and slips from his hands.

That’s okay, George.

I’m very sorry.

Laughing, they run to the parking lot under his umbrella while some students run after Charlotte’s umbrella, and one of them shouts, Grab, grab the umbrella!

She wipes drops of rain from her cheeks. The pavement is wet and slippery. Before they get to the parking lot, a student runs behind them shouting, Your umbrella, Mrs. Wellington. She takes it and thanks the student, but then puts it in a trashcan.

In the Rolls Royce, it is near dusk when they drive away through the rain from the university to George’s apartment. Charlotte drives, and George sits next to her and puts his bag on the floor.

Oh, wow! he says looking at the interior of the car. It is the first time that he is in a Rolls Royce even though there are many in England. She notices his delight.

After they turn right towards the main street in Boston, they drive slowly. That Friday, the traffic is heavy.

Are you enjoying the course? she asks.

Of course!

Don’t you find it a little boring? she teases him.

The opposite, I never thought it was going to be so exciting, he answers cheerfully.

Then, they talk about other things.

As Charlotte gazes at the rain, she says, Considering the time of year, it’s raining very heavily.

Yes, but, isn’t it romantic when it rains in the spring? George says.

Charlotte smiles and says, Yes, it is.

Then, they glance at each other joyfully as they share memories of other rainy days in spring. After a pause, Charlotte asks George where he lives.

I live on Cambridge Road, he says.

Then, he tells her that he is from England and that he rents an apartment. He hardly knows Charlotte but feels that he loves her. He finds her very beautiful, sexy, intellectual, and sincere. They look at the clothing shops and restaurants of some hotels along the street. When Charlotte sees businessmen dressed in suits coming out from work under their umbrellas, she feels a little nervous thinking that someone might see her with the student and assume the wrong thing. George feels the opposite because he wants to bee seen with her. He is happy being with Charlotte and does not know that Charlotte’s husband is very jealous.

The leaves of the maple trees are swaying along both sides of the street. They drive straight ahead as they talk. After a while, the heavy rain stops, but then it is drizzling. Further ahead, they enter a narrow street. On either side of the road are uneven rows of apartment buildings. George opens the window and welcomes the cold drizzling on his face because it was burning with excitement. Some people are looking out from the balconies of their apartments. On the sidewalks, some people are walking in faded blue jeans and sweaters while others have raincoats and umbrellas.

Ahead, it stops drizzling when the car turns right and enters a wide road. The road is wet. George glances at Charlotte seductively.

After a while, the sky clears except for a few light clouds.

She asks, Do you like to listen to music?

Oh, I love it.

What kind of music do you like?

Classical and pop music.

She slips a CD into the player and plays a song that he likes.

Wow, that’s one of my favorite songs!

They smile at each other.

I’m glad you like it.

He thinks, I fell in love with you the first time I saw you in class, so now it is like a wish fulfillment to be with you.

Then, after they talk for a while, he wonders, How do I know that I’m not just dreaming of being close to her? Is this real or just a dream? Why did I fall so hard in love with you at first sight?

Afterwards as he glances at his notes, she says, I have a lot of literary material about what you want to write.

Really! I don’t want to bother you, but… he says.

Do you want to borrow some of my books?

Oh, yes please!

Okay, so we’ll change direction.

D’accord.

Charlotte drives to her mansion to lend George some books. After they leave downtown, they drive past high-rise apartments. Further ahead, they turn right at an intersection. After a while, they drive up on a wide road. On both sides, there are big mansions with gardens. He feels fascinated being with her. The sun is going down.

She likes me, he thinks.

Further ahead, at a distance, he notices a huge two-story mansion on the top of a hill.

Is that your house? he asks looking in the direction of Charlotte’s mansion.

Yes, it is. Why?

It looks like a castle.

She says with a warm smile, It’s big, but not quite like a castle.

They laugh. George feels a little nervous about his feelings for her.

As they near the entrance gate to Charlotte’s estate, Charlotte reduces the speed of her vehicle as they talk. George turns and looks at the flowers and ivies hanging from the fence. They hear the rustling leaves of the tall poplar trees along the street. George has seen Charlotte’s wedding ring, so he knows that she is a married woman. George wonders whether her husband is at home. He wishes that he were not there. All of a sudden, as if George has fallen into a waking dream, a flash of fantasies about Charlotte crosses his mind. In his imagination, he sees himself embracing and kissing Charlotte inside the mansion. Charlotte does not even imagine that George is fantasizing loving her. For a moment, he feels scared and guilty about his loving feelings for her. As the entrance gate to her estate opens, his hands perspire with nervousness as he glances at her and wonders, Would I be able to kiss her here, tonight?

CHAPTER II

It is dusk when Charlotte and George enter through the open gate that squeaks as it slides to the right and opens to a cobblestone road edged by tall trees. As they drive up the driveway till they reach the mansion, they hear the rustling foliage along the road while they talk and look at the lights in the balconies.

Oh, what a beautiful mansion you have! George says.

Thank you, but it’s a little boring.

Boring?

Right.

I think it is like a relic of the medieval romances, George says.

Charlotte smiles and says, Do you really think so?

Yes.

She parks her car in front of the mansion with tall white pillars. They get out of the car and Charlotte invites George to the garden with a blue illuminated fountain with sculptured dolphins in the middle. In the garden, they hear the constant splashing of the water from the fountain and feel the fresh warm breeze. Then, after a while, they go to the mansion. When Charlotte and George walk up the wide steps to the front entrance door, a tall, slim, blue eyed, and pale skin handsome man dressed in black trousers, a breasted tailcoat, a white shirt with a bowtie greets them courteously. George feels a little nervous thinking that the man is her husband.

If I need something, I’ll call you, Steve, Charlotte tells the butler.

Yes, Mrs. Wellington.

George relaxes when he realizes that the man is the butler. He is not used to such formality, so he feels a little embarrassed to be in such a rich mansion where they still preserve the classic manners and traditions.

As they walk through a high ceiling hallway with marble floors towards the living room of the first floor, George thinks that the butler looks like a demon with courteous manner. In the living room, she puts her books on a table.

Your mansion is much more beautiful than I imagined, George says delightedly.

Oh, thank you, she says with a warm smile.

Then, they walk up a wide staircase to the library. As they reach the entrance to it, George sees Cambridge that is written with big letters above the door.

Edward’s uncle named this library Cambridge," Charlotte says when she notices George staring at the name.

He must have been a professor at that university, he says astonished.

Yes, he was a cognitive experimental psychologist and taught there for many years.

Oh, a cognitive experimental psychologist?

Yes.

Is this the only room that has a name?

She smiles and says, Didn’t you notice the entrances of some other rooms?

Oh, yes! he says, but he did not notice them because he was concentrated on Charlotte.

Edward’s uncle named many rooms from medieval classical romances and some universities, Charlotte says.

George smiles and says, I’ve never been in such a beautiful mansion before.

Really? Charlotte says.

In the library, they walk along the shelves filled with books.

While they walk, he glances at an antique chandelier that sparkles above the reading table.

In the literature section, they look at the titles of the books on the shelves and then pick out some and skim through them. At intervals, they talk.

Ah, hah! she says with a warm smile, "I found Tristan & Tseut."

I’ve wanted to read that for a long time.

He walks to get the book and as she hands it to him, he says, Thank you.

Then, George moves to another shelf and finds more medieval romance novels.

When George finds Les Deux Amants, he says, Another one that I have wanted to read.

Which one? Charlotte asks.

"Les Deux Amants."

"Oh, that one reminds me of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet"

Yes. They are both tragedies!

You won’t have time to do the reading for the course if you read all of them.

He smiles and says, I’m a fast reader.

Why don’t we go to the living room? Charlotte suggests to George.

Holding the books, they go out of the library and then walk through the wide hallway of the second floor and descend the stairs to the living room.

You seem to have a passion for reading, teaching, and learning, he says looking at her with a warm smile.

She smiles and says, You’re right. Reading is one of my passions.

Now, if you don’t mind maybe you can give me a ride home, George says, but he wants to stay.

The house has many rooms, so you can stay if you want to, she says smiling.

Thank you, he answers.

He decides to stay for some time. In the living room, before George sits down on a white leather sofa next to Charlotte, he puts the books on a table and removes his sweater and puts it on the back of a chair.

This mansion looks like a museum, George says.

Like a museum? Charlotte laughs lightly.

Yes.

It belonged to one of Edward’s British uncles who was one of the first Bostonian British millionaires who adored big mansions.

It looks well preserved, George says.

It was renovated some years ago in the English Classic style, Charlotte says.

Do you really like to live in such a big mansion? George asks.

It’s boring, but my husband, Edward, loves it, Charlotte says.

This house must be a hundred years old, George says.

Yes, but it still preserves most of its original features, Charlotte says.

Charlotte thinks that George might be hungry.

Would you like something to eat? she asks.

Please, don’t bother, he answers.

She goes to the kitchen to order a maid to bring some dessert. In the kitchen, she opens the refrigerator, pulls out a bottle of sparkling apple juice, caramelized pears with chocolate, and puts them on the table for the maid to serve them. Back in the living room, Charlotte finds George standing next to the stereo.

You can turn on the stereo and listen to music if you want to, she says.

Thank you, he answers and turns on the stereo and plays, Love is a Wonderful Thing, by Michael Bolton.

I like that song, she says with excitement.

Soon, the maid walks into the living room carrying the dessert. She places it in the center of the living room table.

Thank you, Charlotte says.

Please, help yourself! Charlotte says to George.

As he eats, he looks at her with contentment and says, It’s very delicious!

I’m glad you like it, Charlotte smiles.

Did you prepare it? George asks.

No, I have maids who cook for me. I’d like to learn how to cook, but I’m too busy teaching, writing, or doing other things. Sometimes, when I cook, the food is so bad that I have to throw it away, Charlotte says smiling.

In my case, I don’t have another choice, but to cook for myself because I can not afford a maid, George says.

Then, as he turns right and sees a painting on the wall, he contemplates it and says, I like that painting.

She smiles and says, I like it too because of the reflections of the leaves of trees and flowers on the water.

I like how you describe it, George says. I forgot its name.

"It‘s titled, Sunrise, by Monet," she says.

Oh, now, I remember it, he says.

Do you like art? she asks.

I love it because art and literature are interrelated, George says.

Right. Many works of literature show very descriptive scenes that are like paintings, she says.

Have you written any novels? George asks.

No, I haven’t, she says. But, I’m in the process of writing one.

How interesting!

That night after they eat and talk, George excuses himself and goes to change the music while she takes the dishes to the kitchen. As George is changing the music, he notices some portraits of the family and pastoral paintings on the walls. He strolls to look closer at them.

When Charlotte returns from the kitchen, she finds him standing and staring at a portrait of her, mounted on a white horse next to Edward and smiles, remembering the warm spring morning when she and Edward posed for the portrait. She walks close to George and together look at it talking.

Do you like it? Charlotte asks.

I didn’t know you were married to the wealthiest man in Boston.

I don’t think my husband is the wealthiest man in Boston.

How did you meet him?

Do you really want to know?

Yes.

Why?

Because it can be helpful for the love story I’m writing.

They walk to a sofa, sit, and Charlotte starts telling him her love story with Edward.

From the beginning? Charlotte asks smiling.

Yes, right from the beginning.

Well, it all started one spring morning when I was twelve years old and I went from Chile to England with my family to visit a rich uncle…

Charlotte pauses for a while and asks, Would you like something to drink?

Oh, yes, please, he says delightedly.

Charlotte goes to the kitchen and asks the maid to bring more apple juice in glasses.

After a while, Charlotte returns to the living room and sits in front of George. He asks her to continue telling him the story. She never expected he was going to be interested in it, but it fascinates him.

Then, what happens next? George asks with curiosity.

That’s for you to read when I finish writing it, Charlotte says with excitement.

I cannot wait to read it.

After a while, the maid enters the living room with a tray with more dessert and juice and puts them in front of them.

They drink the apple juice and eat more caramelized pears. Charlotte loves that dessert.

Is that the story of the novel that you are writing about? George asks.

Yes, Charlotte smiles.

Then, George tells Charlotte that he has always wanted to go to the Straits of Magellan in the South of Chile because of Coleridge’s poem The Ancient Mariner. Charlotte tells him that she has been there many times.

You must have seen many albatrosses there, George says with a warm smile.

Oh, yes, and it is very beautiful when they fly among the ships, and their feathers blow with the summer breeze along the beaches, Charlotte says.

I like how Coleridge mystified the albatross like a saint, George says.

I should write about the albatrosses and the penguins of South America to help rescue them from extinction because their habitat has been threatened, she says.

It would be very interesting.

It is now after nine and George remembers that he has an English literature exam tomorrow. He asks Charlotte to give him a ride to his apartment.

I was so immersed in your love story that I had forgotten that I have an exam tomorrow. I have to go, he says as he stands and walks to get his sweater and puts it on.

"D’accord," Charlotte says as she stands and grabs the car keys. She decides to drive her Range Rover and walks out of the mansion with George.

As they are walking through the high ceiling hallway, they pause for a while in front of a portrait when George sees a huge one on one wall and asks, Are they your husband’s parents?

Yes.

They must be very rich.

They died in an airplane crash some years ago while they were returning to England from Europe.

Heavens. What an awful tragedy!

For Edward, it was traumatizing.

Does he have any brothers or sisters?

No, but he has many old lonely aristocratic English uncles in England.

Charlotte tells George that her husband and she left England, but that they left some servants to take care of their mansion.

Why did you and your husband move to Boston? George asks.

My husband wanted to influence more British descendants in the U.S. to preserve their English heritage.

So, he chose Boston because there are many aristocratic British descendants here.

Yes.

Some minutes later, they walk outside the mansion. The warm breeze is very refreshing. For George, it is one of those days that he does not want to end because he is with the woman he feels passionate about.

As they walk to the vehicle, George looks at the light blue illuminated fountain surrounded with flowers in the garden.

What a beautiful view, he says delightedly.

I’m glad you like my house because many people find it too big.

After a while, George looks at the sky and says, Stars are twinkling like on a Christmas tree.

How romantic! Charlotte says with a warm smile.

Many romantic thoughts cross George’s mind as they stroll to the Range Rover.

Is it the first time that you borrow books from one of your professors? Charlotte asks.

Yes.

I hope you enjoy the books.

I’m sure I’m going to love them.

They look at each other and smile.

I hope it doesn’t rain on our way, she says.

I hope so.

During the walk, he wonders if this would be the first and the last time to be in Charlotte’s mansion. He did not kiss her at her home, but the thought of having an opportunity to kiss her on the way to his apartment, makes him smile with excitement. The light of the lamps shine through the branches of the trees in the garden. How he would like to walk in the garden with Charlotte, but she is giving him a ride to his apartment. He is not worried about having an affair with Charlotte even though he knows that she is a married woman. He wonders, Why does she have such a powerful loving effect on me? Do I have a crush on her because of her beauty and elegance? Or is it her sexiness? Her deep and loving blue eyes? George feels his cheeks burning when Charlotte opens the door of her vehicle.

CHAPTER III

Soon, they get in her Range Rover and drive away through the drizzling rain towards George’s apartment. He takes a deep breath and enjoys the refreshing drizzle. Back on the road, they talk and look around. It is a fresh spring night. After some time, it stops drizzling. The trees along the road are covered with flowers and green leaves. After some time, it starts to drizzle again.

Then, as she puts on music, he smiles at her.

So you have an exam tomorrow, Charlotte says.

Yes.

On what?

On the English romantic poets.

I like them.

So, you must have read Wordsworth’s poems?

Oh, yes, and I like how he romanticizes nature.

He’s one of my favorite poets, George says.

Further ahead, it stops drizzling, but the road is wet. They drive along a wide road with a few cars going past. Through the open windows, they feel the spring breeze. After they have driven for some time, they turn off the main road. Ahead, some youths ride on their bikes.

How about Clare, do you like him? Charlotte asks.

Oh, Clare, he smiles and says, Oh, yes, because he doesn’t transform objects in nature as Wordsworth does but presents vivid descriptions of his peasant country life experiences based on close observation.

That’s true, Charlotte says.

Further ahead, George asks Charlotte to stop along the road.

Do you think you might pull off the road? George asks.

Why? Charlotte asks.

I have to go around the bushes.

Charlotte pulls off the road, stops, and he gets out of the Range Rover. Then, he walks along the roadside next to some tall trees and then on a footpath. As he walks, he smiles as he thinks that he has gotten out of the vehicle as an excuse to have an opportunity to kiss her.

After about fifteen minutes, she gets out of the car and looks for George, but he is not around. Clouds hide the stars in the night sky. As Charlotte looks through the foliage, she feels the moistened green leaves of the bushes. Worried about George, Charlotte walks on the ankle high grass.

Oh! Charlotte giggles as the wet grass moistens her legs.

Then, as she walks looking around in the midst of a misty and drizzling rain, she shouts, George, where are you?

She knows that he is out there somewhere.

This isn’t funny! Are you hiding from me? Charlotte says.

She does not know that he wants to kiss her and is thinking about how to make her vulnerable for it.

Suddenly, she hears a sound like footsteps coming from the bushes. It stops for a while. Then, she hears it again until she turns right and jumps horrified screaming, Oh, my god! at the sight of a lamb next to her. Frightened, she looks at the lamb wondering from where it might have come from. She thinks that it must have been someone’s pet. Then, as she rushes towards her car, someone comes up from behind and taps her right shoulder and she whirls around terrified.

Oh, no! she jumps screaming.

George finds it difficult to find the right words to apologize for having frightened her, but he says, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.

He tries to console her, but she interrupts, Yes, you did.

No.

After he tries to convince her that he did not mean to frighten her, she feels better. Then, when he holds her close to him and tries to kiss her, she slaps him on his right cheek while the wind sweeps over them flicking drops of rain from the trees that wets them. He feels so embarrassed that he walks away fast taking long strides and then he runs while Charlotte walks to her car. After a while, he leans against a tree and feels more embarrassed and uncertain. Later, he says to himself, I shouldn’t have frightened or tried to kiss her.

After a while, George follows her. As he walks quickly behind her, almost out of breath, he says, Please forgive me!

Please, go away! I don’t want to see you ever again, she shouts.

I’m so sorry, he says. I should not have tried to kiss you.

Feeling guilty, he sits on the grass and tears run down his face as he looks down thinking that