Margaret Drabble’s affecting novel, set in London during the 1960s, is about a casual love affair, an unplanned pregnancy, and one young woman’s decision to become a mother. Rosamund Stacey is young and inexperienced at a time when sexual liberation is well on its way. She conceals her ignorance beneath a show of independence, and becomes pregnant as a result of a one night stand. Although single parenthood is still not socially acceptable, she chooses to have the baby rather than to seek an illegal abortion, and finds her life transformed by motherhood.

The Millstone

none">[After all her inhibitions, her problems with deciding to engage in the sexual act, Rosamund decides that it is well time she were not a virgin any more. It seems entirely appropriate, given her self-doubt and embarrassment about the issue, that she chooses someone whom she assumes is homosexual, or in the vernacular of the time,  “queer” . Rosamund has met George Matthews, who is a newsreader for BBC Radio, in a pub. Although she feels quite sure of his true inclinations from the start, she feels attracted to him. They end up in her flat, where it becomes evident that he must be bisexual, because they have sex.  The moment their tender lovemaking is over Rosamund assumes that he is regretting it, and her own inhibitions again come to the fore as she stolidly refuses to read all the signs of his real feelings. Although this is something she has deliberately chosen to do after much thought, Rosamund still feels a large hangover of guilt, perhaps related to her class, education and breeding, in the very idea of a physical relationship outside marriage. In the end once is enough.  George is also under the impression that she has two lovers, so Rosamund decides that this is convenient so feels no need to tell him that this was her first time. She is also too shy to say anything about falling in love with him, so lets their relationship be merely ships that pass in the night. George vanishes from her life, with Rosamund merely listening to his voice on the radio occasionally.  On learning that she is pregnant, she decides to go it alone. She decides against either telling George, or even writing to tell her parents, in case it would upset them. Rosamund does hope that she will get moral support from her sister Beatrice and her husband, as they have three small children themselves. Beatrice however, is shocked, and urges Rosamund to have an abortion, or if not then to give birth to the baby and put it up for adoption straightaway. Stunned at her news, Beatrice strongly advises Rosamund to carry on with her life and academic career as if nothing had happened.  (hide spoiler) ]

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