The Somerton Man

TRYING TIMES

As much as Daniel felt he really needed some alcohol to get him through the next few hours with having to deal with his daughter, he prudently decided to forego that option for now, as he sat down behind his desk and motioned for Clara to sit in the chair across the desk opposite him, but she remained standing, telling him she was going to remain difficult, which was the last thing he needed.

He was already feeling out of his depth around her, she was no longer a little child, but on the verge of becoming a young woman who obviously was not happy that he had remarried and had not kept in touch with her as much as he should have; he was not overly surprised with her resentment. The problem was, he could never explain to her the reason why he felt she was better off without him in her life. So now there was this strained atmosphere between them, that he did not know how to bridge.

Clara felt her father's unease in her presence, which gave her some small sense of satisfaction. She found herself wondering if he was feeling some sense of guilt and remorse over his neglect of her over the last few years, now she was standing here facing him and he could no longer ignore her.

He seemed occupied staring at the desk in front of him, ruminating how he was going to deal with her, but when he did speak it was with the same stiff formality he always seem to use around her, much to her slight disappointment

"I can understand you might feel some grievance that you have not been more involved in my life since I returned, But I knew you were safe and well cared for with your grandparents, and you were far better with them than with me" He was able to tell her with honesty leaning forward and resting his elbows on the desk, his hands now clasped together with a look of deliberation, before he continued, "You have to understand that since my father, your grandfather died, I have been solely responsible for the family business and restoring the family home, which means I have been rather preoccupied, and still will be for the foreseeable future"

"I see," Clara replied, her brows pulling down, "So what you are trying to tell me, is even though I will be living under this roof along with you, I will still not have you around much, because you will be too busy with other matters to have time for me?"

Daniel coughed and cleared his throat, whilst shifting a little uncomfortably in his chair, "Well Yes, that will be more or less the case. Besides which, you are almost a young lady now, and I don't feel I am the adequate person to deal with certain feminine matters that will no doubt arise, which is why I think it's best that now you are living here, I have decided it's in your best interest to put your stepmother Eleanor in charge of your care, she can deal with you far better than I can, especially with my busy schedule"

"How convenient for you that have found someone else to take on responsibility for me, now my grandparents no longer can, I suppose i am expected to be grateful" she finished grudgingly

Daniel frowned,"I can see now what your Grandfather meant about your willfulness, "You should indeed be grateful that I haven't decided to pack you off to a school for young ladies to stay, where you might learn to control your waywardness and learn proper manners. Though it could still be an option open to me, if you continue the way you are going> As I have already told you, I am a busy man, and I do not have time for your sulks and tantrums" he then warned with the slight irritation, he just didn't need to deal with Clara's attitude right now, or want to delve into his responsibility for it.

"Then, I will try not to sulk and have tantrums around you if I can help it" Clara replied tightly, but also making him realise she was not exactly making a firm promise on the subject either, But he supposed it was the best he was going to get from her and he would let Eleanor deal with it. He just wanted it all to be over with now, so he could get to the brandy to take the edge of all the tension he was feeling"