A Prospect of Love - Mavis Budd

The budd family saga, so richly recalled in Dust to Dust, continues in A Prospect of Love. The former book completely evoked a slice of life in the 1930’s, as lived in one country corner of the south of England, retaining more of the flavour of the 1880’s. The father figure of the village craftsman, William Budd, dominated this scene, where the smell of green grass in the spring sunshine mingled with that of boiling clothes and rabbit stew. Most of the characters from this ‘land of Cockaigne’ are with us once more, and the new instalment is an engaging account of the growing up of the author’s three triplet sisters, happy and uncomplicated – unlike their more serious and introverted sister Mavis.

Since they are identical triplets that grow up in an aura of publicity, and through this they attract the attention of an American bachelor, Aloysius Carton, who is intrigued by the photograph of the Budd sisters, and writes to them. Quite a friendship stems from this, the girls receiving beautiful gifts from Mr Carton. It is not unexpected perhaps that all three young ladies believe themselves to be secretly in love with their benefactor. but they had reckoned without the author who, unknown to them, has corresponded with him even more frequently that the others.

The fat is finally in the fire when Mr Carton decides to come to England, requesting a couple of weeks with the Budds in their ‘typically English home’ – about which he has heard so much. Feverish excitement and frenzied spring-cleaning ensue, with each girl hugging a secret longing ‘that she will be the one’. But will Mr Carton prove a disappointment? Will he fit into the Budds’ way of life? It is obvious he is used to a rather higher standard of living. When he departs Mavis the author is left in disillusion over her first love, but she provides a surprise finish…