The Alington Inheritance

“What is it, Miss Garstone?”

“It’s not my business-I know that,” said Miss Garstone. “But my sister was very fond of you, and I just want to say-” She stopped and broke off. What did she want to say? She didn’t know. She was behaving like a fool. She took up her words again with a feeling that they were not her words at all.

“I just want to say that if at any time you don’t want to stay with the Forbeses, I shall be very pleased to do anything I can to help or advise you for my sister’s sake. I should like you to feel that I don’t say things that I don’t mean. Good-bye.”

Miss Garstone did not shut the door at once. She stood with her hand on the knob and watched Je

Chapter V

Je

There was anger in her as she had that thought. Didn’t he care what people would think? And the answer was plain enough. It was no, he didn’t, he didn’t care a jot. What he wanted to do he did. What the village thought about him didn’t matter at all. He could get away with it.

As she came across the hall, Meg darted at her and caught her wrist.

“Ssh-they’ve come! Did you see the car? Mac and Alan-they’ve both come! I do think they might have got here in time for the funeral-don’t you? I said so to Alan, and he pinched my arm and said, ‘Ssh!’ I expect I’ve got a black and blue pinch mark on it, and if I have-” She paused dramatically.

Je

“What will you do?”

Meg hopped on one leg.

“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something. When I’m in bed and there’s nothing to disturb me. Oh, what have you got there? What is it-may I see? Oh, it’s a little chest of drawers!”

Je

“Yes, it was Garsty’s. Her sister gave it to me. It-it was very nice of her.”

“Well, she’s got everything else,” said Meg in a tone which dismissed Miss Garstone with finality.

They were half way up the stairs, when Mac came down them. As always when she saw him again, he made the same deep impression on Je

He came down two steps at a time with both his hands out.

“My poor little Je

It was the old trick. When she was with him she forgot everything she had been thinking about him. He had only to smile, to say two words in his sympathetic voice, and she stopped thinking. And that wasn’t right. That was just glamour. Like the fairy stories. Life wasn’t a fairy story, it was real-not fairy gold which had turned into withered leaves when you took it out and looked at it next day. And these thoughts were together in Je

“Why didn’t you come down in time for the funeral?”

She saw the flash in his eyes which meant that she had made him angry. He stood there a couple of steps above her and looked down at her. There was an antagonism between them. For the moment it was stronger than the attraction which had always been there and was sometimes very strong.

He gave a little laugh.

“My dear Je

“I shan’t ask you,” said Je

Mac was rather taken aback. Je

Je

“Were you quarrelling?” she asked. “You sounded as if you were.”

Je

“Oh, what a darling little chest of drawers! Is it yours? May I look at it? Is there anything in it?”

“There are the things I made for Garsty for her birthday and for Christmas when I was a little girl. I’ll show you some time. Not now.”

“It’s a baby chest of drawers! It’s got a bow front, and it’s got darling little ivory handles too! Oh, I do love it! Don’t you?”

Je

They took hands and went down to the schoolroom, where Joyce was curled up in the sofa corner with a picture book and Alan sat strumming at the piano. He wasn’t as tall as his brother, and he certainly wasn’t as good-looking. He was, in point of fact, very much like his father. Je

He said, “Je

She said, “Thank you,” in a little voice. There was a warm feeling at her heart-there always was for Alan.

And then Meg broke in with “She’s got the darlingest little chest of drawers from Garsty! She brought it home with her just now! It’s all round in front, and it’s got the dearest little ivory handles on it!”

Joyce scrambled down off the sofa.,

“I want to see it! I want to look! Where is it?”

“It’s in her room on the chest of drawers!” Meg called back to Je

“I’m so s-sorry, Je

Je

“What are you doing here, Mr. Alan?” she said, putting down the tray.

“I’m going to have tea with the children.”

“Oh, no, you don’t. You will have tea in the drawing-room with Mrs. Forbes and Mr. Mac. This is schoolroom tea this is, and not for grown-up young gentlemen like you are now and have been these four years past. Get along with you, for I heard the mistress calling, you, and she won’t be a bit pleased if she finds you here!” She turned to Je

“Yes,” said Je

Carter turned and went out of the room. Alan took a couple of steps towards the door, and came back again.