Over
150 years ago, in fact in 1862, Mary Elizabeth Braddon published a book called Lady Audley’s Secret which went on the
become a best seller at that time, and over the years the book has been
serialized and films have been made based on this book. The literary fashion in those days was
accidental bigamy, and in the book the heroine deserts her child, pushes
husband number one down a well, thinks about poisoning husband number two, and
then sets fire to a hotel in which all her male acquaintances are residing.
In
Adam’s novella a man whose middle name is by coincidence Audley is happily
married with three daughters, and in his work as a travelling salesman he stays
in various small guest houses. Over
several years he is “seduced” by daughters in each house, and when each becomes
pregnant he “marries” each of them. The
“scandal” does not become public until he loses his job, sues for unfair
dismissal, and after being awarded substantial damages receives huge media
publicity.
Excerpt:
These Guest Houses never served
dinner, so he walked along the road to a pub which served meals, and found
Alicia’s other guests already there.
They asked Roger to join them, and they all laughed and chatted
together.
“Alicia was kind in giving us
her room,” said one, “so it just worked out.”
“She told us that she’s going
to stay with a friend tonight,” said another, “but will be back for our
breakfast in the morning,”
Roger was not really listening
to this but he remembered later.
He walked back the house he was
staying in, and opened the door. Alicia
was in the kitchen and offered to make him a cup of tea.
Roger sat down to enjoy the tea
before going to his room.
“Good night,” he said as he
stood and climbed the stairs to his room.
He dressed in his pyjamas,
switched off the light and got into bed.
It was soft and warm and cozy, and for some reason smelled of Alicia.
About one hour later Alicia
opened the door to his room and crept in to his bed. She climbed in next to the sleeping
Roger. She wasn’t wearing too much, just
a very short diaphanous nightie, and nothing else.
In his sleep Roger sensed her
presence and he moved to put his arm around her, so she wriggled her body under
him.
He woke up suddenly.
“Alicia!” he was startled.
“Hold me tight, I’m cold,” she
complained quietly.
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