"It was abominably cruel of her."
"Perhaps. But a good one on us. And, I guess, a great satisfaction to her."
"You were sufficiently harrowed!"
"If only you could have seen us!"
She smiled in rather bitter amusement. "I think I begin to understand you."
"Me?"
"You—as a family."
"We're easy to understand—when you know us."
"But we are friends—aren't we?"
"Are we? I don't believe I can manage that."
"Don't you think of me, then, in a friendly way?"
"Me? Friendly? Good God, Alayne! And you call Gran tormenting!"
"Well—about her. You spoke of some odd behaviour." She was a fool to get on dangerous ground with him. Better talk about old Adeline.
He went on, frowning: "The trouble is this. Ever since that night she's always wanting to see her lawyer. Has him out every few days. It must be a plague for him. And it makes things tense at Jalna. I don't worry about her will. But I know the uncles are worrying. And one can't help wondering. I suppose you know that she's going to leave everything she has in a lump sum to one of us. I suppose everyone is really wondering just how sorrowful he looked that night. Rather wishes he had the chance to do it over again. You remember I told you that Uncle Ernest cried. I believe Uncle Nick thinks that Uncle Ernest feels rather cocky about that. Wishes he could have dug up a tear or two." He gave one of his sudden staccato laughs.
"If it comes to that," she said, ironically, "Wakefield cried too."
"And Mooey! Did I tell you he was down, too? The old dear missed him. She looked around and said: 'Somebody's not here! It's the baby. My great-grandson. Fetch the baby down!' Pheasant flew upstairs and brought Mooey. If you'll believe me, the little devil simply howled. And now Piers and Pheasant
