Sons and Lovers - Daimon Club

as she cleaned the house, she thought of him. He was in London:
he would do well. Almost, he was like her knight who wore HER
favour in the battle.
He was coming at Christmas for five days. There had never
been such preparations. Paul and Arthur scoured the land
for holly and evergreens. Annie made the pretty paper hoops
in the old-fashioned way. And there was unheard-of extravagance
in the larder. Mrs. Morel made a big and magnificent cake.
Then, feeling queenly, she showed Paul how to blanch almonds.
He skinned the long nuts reverently, counting them all, to see not
one was lost. It was said that eggs whisked better in a cold place.
So the boy stood in the scullery, where the temperature was nearly
at freezing-point, and whisked and whisked, and flew in excitement
to his mother as the white of egg grew stiffer and more snowy.
"Just look, mother! Isn't it lovely?"
And he balanced a bit on his nose, then blew it in the air.
"Now, don't waste it," said the mother.
Everybody was mad with excitement. William was coming on