nineveh_uk

I only hope that Peter's three pages of sensible comment to Harriet included the lines "I can't honestly recommend the sort of set-up my sister has, putting her in an entirely false position and tenable only because she hates opening school fetes, and enjoys playing at housekeeping and cooking fish. I do not wish to cook fish." I can cope with Harriet's moving into Peter's circles, because she actually benefits. I accept that at the time, _socially_ Parker can't move into Mary's class. But Parker and Mary's financial arrangement is bloody stupid (though I think DLS implies it is - it is SO convoluted). If she really wants to be a middle-class housewife, why don't they at least use her money to buy themselves a nice house? But no, it's all about limiting Mary to salve Parker's pride, and it's irreversible. At least Harriet continues to earn her own income and could choose not to spend Peter's money - and according to a DLS letter, it's her income, postwar when the Estate/other income is way down, that keeps them paying super-tax, which is a nice consolation.