eventually find her a place and get rid of her. It is not important at the moment. The second point is this. By your father’s will you are the rightful owner of this entire estate—a rich one, Niece, a rich one. Far richer than the estate in America. Yes, I was surprised.”
She found her voice. “Then you’ve seen my father’s will?”
“Oh, yes. That was why I was in Spanish Town the day you arrived. The will was found among your father’s papers after his death. Very properly the—they call him Custos of the parish, I don’t know exactly what his duties are, but apparently this was one of them—the Custos of the parish entered it in chancery court for registration and to hold pending the end of the war or the arrival in Jamaica of the claimant to the estate. You.”
So her father had not altered his will. “Are you sure there was nothing said of China and Jamey?”
He made a church of his fingers and waggled the steeple. “Nothing of Neville either, but I didn’t expect that although—well, well, that’s the way the will stands. You are the sole legatee. That is—” The steeple stood still. “That is, aside from this claim of yours to have married Simon Mallam.”
“Claim— but I did—”
“A rebel, a traitor—”
“An officer in the Continental Army!”
“A traitor,” he said. “Yes—a very rich property. It would seem a pity to give it up to—a boy of five, wouldn’t it, Niece?”
She looked at him now with sharp attention. “Jamey is my father’s son. Jamey and China, too, have their rights.”
“A pity,” he said softly. “China—so lovely, so charming—she’ll wed again. Jamey, a boy of five—”
“Uncle, what are you getting at?” she said bluntly.
“I’m merely stating facts. Your father wished his property to go to you. I’m sure he trusted your good sense and affection. He expected you to take care of your brother—and your stepmother, as long as she might require financial aid. It would seem very sad if you renounced not only such a rich estate but your father’s declared wishes. By our laws a woman’s property belongs to her husband. The British court will never permit such an estate as this to go to a rebel. Or a rebel’s wife.”
“I understand that. But it should go to Jamey and China. That is fair—”
He turned to look directly at her, his pale eyes utterly astonished. “But you can’t mean that, Niece! All this estate—all this money. Why, you can’t throw it away like an old shoe!”
“It’s fair. Jamey—”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Anger flamed in his face. “You’d give all this to a five-year-old child—just like that—when you could keep it all for yourself. Oh, I grant you, you should take some thought for the care of your young brother, but to give it all up! You are talking nonsense.”
“Perhaps we have different views of money, Uncle,” she said dryly. “In any event I have no choice. I am married—”
“Oh, but that—so easy. We needn’t tell anyone of this marriage you claim.”
“You’ve used the word claim twice, Uncle. My marriage is a fact.”
“Well, then—there are ways—yes, ways—”
“What do you mean? Annulment? Divorce? A clever lawyer! I’ll have nothing of the kind. It was all legal and proper. Mr. Benfit wrote a letter to you explaining it. He told China to explain—”
“Letter? I saw no such letter and it would mean nothing if I had. China’s explanation, as you call it, was hysterical, childish! No, listen to me, Niece. I think of you as my dearly loved daughter.” His words were flowing, smooth as oil. His first appeal had been, clearly, the appeal which would have carried primary importance with him, money. When that failed, he was changing course. “As a daughter,” he repeated. “So therefore I would advise you thus. Wed Neville.”
So China had not deceived him, not for an instant, with her airy postponement of decision, her graceful protest
She found her voice. “Then you’ve seen my father’s will?”
“Oh, yes. That was why I was in Spanish Town the day you arrived. The will was found among your father’s papers after his death. Very properly the—they call him Custos of the parish, I don’t know exactly what his duties are, but apparently this was one of them—the Custos of the parish entered it in chancery court for registration and to hold pending the end of the war or the arrival in Jamaica of the claimant to the estate. You.”
So her father had not altered his will. “Are you sure there was nothing said of China and Jamey?”
He made a church of his fingers and waggled the steeple. “Nothing of Neville either, but I didn’t expect that although—well, well, that’s the way the will stands. You are the sole legatee. That is—” The steeple stood still. “That is, aside from this claim of yours to have married Simon Mallam.”
“Claim— but I did—”
“A rebel, a traitor—”
“An officer in the Continental Army!”
“A traitor,” he said. “Yes—a very rich property. It would seem a pity to give it up to—a boy of five, wouldn’t it, Niece?”
She looked at him now with sharp attention. “Jamey is my father’s son. Jamey and China, too, have their rights.”
“A pity,” he said softly. “China—so lovely, so charming—she’ll wed again. Jamey, a boy of five—”
“Uncle, what are you getting at?” she said bluntly.
“I’m merely stating facts. Your father wished his property to go to you. I’m sure he trusted your good sense and affection. He expected you to take care of your brother—and your stepmother, as long as she might require financial aid. It would seem very sad if you renounced not only such a rich estate but your father’s declared wishes. By our laws a woman’s property belongs to her husband. The British court will never permit such an estate as this to go to a rebel. Or a rebel’s wife.”
“I understand that. But it should go to Jamey and China. That is fair—”
He turned to look directly at her, his pale eyes utterly astonished. “But you can’t mean that, Niece! All this estate—all this money. Why, you can’t throw it away like an old shoe!”
“It’s fair. Jamey—”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Anger flamed in his face. “You’d give all this to a five-year-old child—just like that—when you could keep it all for yourself. Oh, I grant you, you should take some thought for the care of your young brother, but to give it all up! You are talking nonsense.”
“Perhaps we have different views of money, Uncle,” she said dryly. “In any event I have no choice. I am married—”
“Oh, but that—so easy. We needn’t tell anyone of this marriage you claim.”
“You’ve used the word claim twice, Uncle. My marriage is a fact.”
“Well, then—there are ways—yes, ways—”
“What do you mean? Annulment? Divorce? A clever lawyer! I’ll have nothing of the kind. It was all legal and proper. Mr. Benfit wrote a letter to you explaining it. He told China to explain—”
“Letter? I saw no such letter and it would mean nothing if I had. China’s explanation, as you call it, was hysterical, childish! No, listen to me, Niece. I think of you as my dearly loved daughter.” His words were flowing, smooth as oil. His first appeal had been, clearly, the appeal which would have carried primary importance with him, money. When that failed, he was changing course. “As a daughter,” he repeated. “So therefore I would advise you thus. Wed Neville.”
So China had not deceived him, not for an instant, with her airy postponement of decision, her graceful protest
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