Alice Fell (Picador Books) by Emma Tennant - 1982

Mr and Mrs Paxton's daughter Alice was born in the Old Man's house on a night in early spring, shortly after Anthony Edem has pronounced on the Suez crisis. The Old Man didn't want to know of the new world being born outside his great house, of the collapse of belief, the search for equality, of these young men with black leather jackets and badger faces. As the tramp of boots was heard on the road from Aldermaston the Old Man retired to his room of treasures; it was only when Alice fell for the first time that he even acknowledged her existence.The sixties came to the house on the downs, and a feeling of uncertainty was everywhere. Only Alice, growing up, flamingo legs flying under her short skirts, knew where she was going. An only Mrs Paxton knew what would happen when her daughter fell for the last time...