The Convenient Wife - 1990 Discussion Thread

There have been moments in my nearly 30 years of marriage to Dr. van der Stevejinck that I have felt like "the convenient wife". Especially around dinner time...or when the laundry needs to be subdued. I don't worry about it too much...there are many times that I've felt that Dr. van der Stevejinck was "the convenient husband" - particularly in the wee small hours of the morning when one of the little van der Stevejincks has just rolfed all over the carpet in their bedroom. Venetia may be the convenient wife...but Duert has possibilities too.

• In this day and age I probably shouldn't like the part of the story so much where Duert steps in to take care of business for Venetia when her granny dies. I think that's where I start to cut him some slack. He helps her over a rough patch.
• I do wonder at the advisability of asking a 23 year old shrinking violet (okay, she's a little too outspoken to be called a shrinking violet, but I wanted to work in a violet reference)to take charge of a fast living nearly 18 year old. Who speaks a different language. I'm pretty sure Anneta the Ward could teach Venetia more than a thing or two.
• Anneta the Ward is a very handy plot device...even if not quite always believable. At one point Duert takes Venetia for a day trip to the Cotswolds "a good hunting-ground for the kind of thing she likes - small antiques, jewellery perhaps." Sorry, but upon getting to know Anneta the Ward I'm not buying her liking of anything antique. A 17 year old that loves the latest fashions in ultra-modern clothes is not likely to be enamored of antiques. Just saying. [Betty Keira] This picture here is dead on for the 'suitable' frock Venetia steered Anneta towards. It's even worse than I imagined. [Betty Debbie]A sad commentary on fashion...even though this book was penned in 1990 (20 years ago!) I saw this dress on a magazine cover, at the grocery store, this very morning! Some things should never return, and this dress is one of those things.
  
• Anneta the Ward is the ostensible reason for Duert proposing marriage "Anneta needs a secure, affectionate family background... - an example of a contented, harmonious marriage.." Umm....so let me get this straight...we're going to pretend that we love each other so that my ward, who will be leaving in 8 months will get to see a happy marriage..?? I know, I'm not really buying it either. Easier than anything to fly the American aunt out for 8 months, I say. Also, as soon as we learn that Anneta is half American we can see she will be up to no good. I'm not sure why all Americans aren't stamped at birth: !Auchtung Amerikaner!
  
• His request also is that Venetia be a Level Headed Parent, Confidant, AND a Guiding Light to Annetta...because Anneta ..."was proving to be a problem which was beyond the powers of even the most brilliant of surgeons..." Just wait until Duert has teenage girls of his own.
• Love, love, love the Miss Marpleish Aunt Millicent.
• While walking on the beach Duert kisses Venetia...she was..."still devoid of a conversational gambit". I shall try and work that phrase into a conversation.
• 4 months!!! For 4 months Venetia loves Duert and he loves her (we must infer)...but he doesn't plan on saying anything until Anneta the Ward leaves!!?? Why?He's clearing the decks, as it were. She and her malignant evil do rather litter up the landscape.
  

One final plot device that Betty works in...the idea that "friends don't tell tales". Anneta worries at one point whether Venetia will snitch on her. Of course not! This is Neeldom. It is vitally important that friends don't tell tales - otherwise we could avoid some huge misunderstandings that keep the hero and heroine apart. La Neels uses this particular plot device on numerous occasions. Often she is shielding a naughty child or (as in this case), a naughty ward. I'm not sure of her rationale here. Here it works for me because I see it coupled with Venetia's white-hot anger at being labeled a cheat (even if her neglectful husband deserved what was coming) and her disappointment. I think she'd be willing to snitch if he hadn't been so unfair.

I do like this book - in spite of my rantings. The matter-of-factness of the heroine is refreshing. She's not soppy or shrewish. Thank you Betty Neels.

Food is a serious consideration in this book. Highlights include: Stilton pate with pears, braised turkey pie, lemon and lime souffle, pheasant in red wine stuffed with chestnuts, smoked salmon and prawns salad, meringue gateau with fresh apricots and lashings of whipped cream. And that's just lunch and dinner in one day! Also mentioned are roast parridge with crunchy stuffing balls (?!), ice cream pudding (??), Italian food (Him: Do you like Italian food? Her: Pizza? Um, no. Him: Oh never pizza. Lasagna. Her: Saints be praised.) and treacle tart. You left off the carrot and coriander soup that she had before the lasagna. Carrot and coriander?? Betty Debbie does not think she dares to try THAT out on her boys.

Also, the newlyweds are always being given two rooms wherever they stay as a matter of course--a room (hers) and a dressing room (his). This allows Betty Neels to sidestep vexing questions of sleeping arrangements. She's not going to tart it up even if they are married.

Finally, more often than you might imagine to be coincidence, our heroines are offered engagement rings of a large sapphire surrounded by diamonds--which always makes me think of Princess Diana's. Not only are sapphire engagement rings a dime a dozen, they ALWAYS fit. No matter how many generations of women have already worn it. Which is taken as a "good omen".