The Alington Inheritance

Chapter XLVI

At Alington House Je

The last few days had been very trying. She did not know what she would have done without Richard and Miss Danesworth. She had stood between the little girls and all the worst of it, and Richard and Miss Danesworth had sheltered her as much as they could. It was lovely to have them. When she thought what it would have been like to have to stand alone her thoughts just blacked out. She could have done it, because you can do anything that you’ve got to do, but she was profoundly grateful that she did not have to stand alone. For one thing, Miss Crampton would have been very hard to deal with. She had faded away before Miss Danesworth’s presence, and Richard coming in when he did had completed her discomfiture. Now that she had been routed Je

Richard came into the room, and she put out a hand to him.

“It’s so long waiting,” she said with a little break in her voice. “You don’t think anything can have gone wrong, do you?”

“Of course nothing has gone wrong! Don’t be silly, child! What could go wrong?”

“I don’t know. Miss Silver said she would ring up when it was all over.”

“Then she will. I like Miss Silver. She’s bed-rock solid.”

“Oh, Richard! That sounds as if she was one of those stout, hard people with bright red cheeks and the sort of eyes that pop out a little! Not the kind of person she is at all-neat, and old-fashioned, and governessy -only that I’ve never really come across a governess. People don’t have them nowadays, but in Garsty’s old books they did. But Miss Silver isn’t really like anyone.”

“No, I don’t think she is,” said Richard. He sat down with his arm round her. “Relax, darling. It’s all right-it really is.”

“I keep thinking of-of her,” said Je

“Not Mrs. Forbes? Don’t, my dear!”

“I can’t help it,” said Je

Richard hesitated. Then he said,

“When something like this happens people either rush in and find they are not wanted, or they stay away and pretend that they haven’t noticed. I think you would find that they don’t know quite what to do. Don’t get bitter about it, darling.”

“I’m not. I just thought it would be rather lonely if it wasn’t for you and Caroline.”

“Well, you’ve got us,” said Richard. “You’ve got us for keeps, and don’t you forget it.”

“Oh, Richard, you’re such a comfort!” said Je

And then the telephone bell rang. Je

“Is that you, my dear?”

“Oh, yes. Yes-yes, it is. Oh, do tell me! What has happened?”

Miss Silver’s voice came clear along the wire.

“It is all right, my dear. There is nothing for you to be worried about. Dicky Pratt gave his evidence very well indeed. I went over with him and Mrs. Pratt. He really could not have done better. And I think he enjoyed himself.”

“He would,” said Je

“Yes, I remember that you said so. A boy of his age does not apprehend the seriousness of the position. Mr. Fulbrook gave evidence, and James Mottingley. He did very well indeed. I do not think that he could have failed to convince everyone in the court that he was quite i

The click of the receiver sounded. Miss Silver was gone. One moment she was there, so much herself, so kind, so efficient, and so helpful, and the next she was gone. She was quite gone. It gave Je

She hung up the receiver and turned to Richard. He put an arm about her.

“Yes, I heard,” he said. “Mottingley has had a hard time.”

Je

“That’s silly,” she said. “And there’s a letter from Alan. I didn’t open it because-well, because I wanted you to be here. I didn’t feel as if I wanted to read it alone.”

“Well, I’m here, darling. Go on-open it.”

The letter was in a foreign envelope. Je

“Dear Je

I don’t know what to say. I feel quite bewildered with it all. Anyhow I don’t see much good in my coming back until the unpleasantness has died away. The chaps that I am with say the same. I think I had better find a job. As a matter of fact I’ve practically got one. It’s with a young Austrian. He’s got to travel for his health. I’ve made great friends with him, and his people are very well off. His mother was Spanish, and the money comes from that side of the family. He is going to pay all the expenses, and I think we shall go to India first of all. He is supposed to be in a warm climate.

Yours affectionately,

Alan Forbes.”

As Je

“He’s going to India, and he doesn’t leave us any address.”

Richard read the letter.

“It’s pretty calm,” he said. “Nothing about the little girls, I see.”

“There’s nothing about anyone except himself,” said Je

“Oh, yes, it gives you a free hand,” said Richard. “They are his sisters, and your second-or is it third cousins? But he gives you a perfectly free hand with them. You can pay their school bills, and have them in the holidays, and have all the burden and sweat of bringing them up, whilst he goes off into the blue and enjoys himself!”

But Je

“Oh, Richard, I’ll love it-I really will.”

He said, “I’m angry,” and he looked it.

“Oh, don’t be, darling! Don’t you see it’ll be just perfect? Caroline was saying only this morning that she’d hate to give them up. And there would be room for them in her house-she said that too.”

“Here, what have you been pla

“We’re going to be a family,” said Je

“And what happens to us?”

“I suppose we get married,” said Je