II

Young and severe in her black dress, Elinor sat in front of Mrs. Welman’s massive writing table inthe library. Various papers were spread out in front of her. She had finished interviewing theservants and Mrs. Bishop¹. Now it was Mary Gerrard who entered the room and hesitated a minuteby the doorway².

“You wanted to see me, Miss Elinor?” she said.

Elinor looked up.

“Oh, yes, Mary. Come here and sit down, will you?”

Mary came and sat in the chair Elinor indicated. It was turned a little towards the window, andthe light from it fell on her face, showing the dazzling purity of the skin and bringing out the palegold of the girl’s hair.

Elinor held one hand shielding her face a little. Between the fingers she could watch the othergirl’s face.

She thought:

“Is it possible to hate anyone so much and not show it?”

Aloud she said in a pleasant, businesslike voice:

“I think you know, Mary, that my aunt always took a great interest in you and would have beenconcerned about your future.”

Mary murmured in her soft voice:

“Mrs. Welman was very good to me always.”

Elinor went on, her voice cold and detached:

“My aunt, if she had had time to make a will, would have wished, I know, to leave severallegacies. Since she died without making a will, the responsibility of carrying out her wishes restson me. I have consulted with Mr. Seddon, and by his advice we have drawn³ up a schedule of sumsfor the servants according to their length of service, etc.” She paused. “You, of course, don’t comequite into that class.”

She half-hoped, perhaps, that those words might hold a sting, but the face she was looking atshowed no change. Mary accepted the words at their face value and listened to what more was tocome.

Elinor said:

“Though it was difficult for my aunt to speak coherently, she was able to make her meaningunderstood that last evening. She definitely wanted to make some provision for your future.”

Mary said quietly:

“That was very good of her.”

Elinor said brusquely:

“As soon as probate is granted, I am arranging that two thousand pounds should be made overto you—that sum to be yours to do with absolutely as you please.”

Mary’s colour rose.

“Two thousand pounds? Oh, Miss Elinor, that is good of you! I don’t know what to say.”

Elinor said sharply:

“It isn’t particularly good of me, and please don’t say anything.”

Mary flushed.

“You don’t know what a difference it will make to me,” she murmured.

Elinor said:

“I’m glad.”

She hesitated. She looked away from Mary to the other side of the room. She said with a slighteffort:

“I wonder—have you any plans?”

Mary said quickly:

“Oh, yes. I shall train for something. Massage⁴, perhaps. That’s what Nurse Hopkins advises.”

Elinor said:

“That sounds a very good idea. I will try and arrange with Mr. Seddon that some money shall beadvanced to you as soon as possible—at once, if that is feasible.”

“You’re very, very good, Miss Elinor,” said Mary gratefully.

Elinor said curtly⁵:

“It was Aunt Laura’s wish.” She hesitated, then said, “Well, that’s all, I think.”

This time the definite dismissal in the words pierced Mary’s sensitive skin. She got up, saidquietly, “Thank you very much, Miss Elinor,” and left the room.

Elinor sat quite still, staring ahead of her. Her face was quite impassive. There was no clue in itas to what was going on in her mind. But she sat there, motionless, for a long time….

 

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