glad to sell hers. She could do with
some extra cash just now with her rapidly growing
family.'
Hester straightened in her chair, holding the
telephone tightly, but she did not speak.
'I was wondering,' he went on rather tentatively,
'if you'd begun to think about selling up.'
'Sell Bridge House?'
'It makes good sense if you think about it.' He
spoke rapidly, as if the idea were more palatable if
the words were said quickly. 'It's a big place for you
to keep going and, as you've said already, it must be
a bit of a struggle on your pension, especially as you
pay me and Amy rent.'
'I see you've thought it all out,' she said drily.
'You make it sound as if you'd be doing us all a
favour.'
'Well, don't you think I might be?' He sounded
almost jaunty, jollying her along. 'I'm quite sure
Amy could do with the money and wouldn't you
find a little cottage or a bungalow in Dulverton
much more convenient, especially now, after your
operation? Surely you must have thought about
moving, Hes? After all, at your age it's bound to
happen sooner or later, isn't it?'
It was as if he'd slapped her: she felt old and
shocked and humiliated.
'I know you've lived there since you retired, Hes,'
his voice continued sweet and persuasive in her ear,
'but the bottom line is that it's a family asset: it
belongs to the three of us. And it's not as if you'd be
homeless.'
'That's a relief.' Her own voice was as sharp as a
lemon. 'But how can you be so sure, after the
proceeds have been split three ways, that there will
be enough for my little bungalow. Or was it a
cottage?'
He laughed, reassured by her astringency. 'Well,
as to that, I asked a friend of mine who was down
on holiday to have a quick glance at the place. Only
from the road, of course, but he's a chartered
surveyor and he had a look at the local agents and
he said that we're sitting on a little goldmine down
there by the river.'
Hester tried to control a sense of revulsion: she'd
been spied upon by some stranger assessing Bridge
House, weighing it up, looking upon it as a
commodity to assist Robin out of his gambling
debts. Momentarily possessed by anger and fear she
was unable to speak.
'But if you're really against selling up then
why not think about a mortgage, Hester?' He was
wheedling now, as though he guessed that he'd
made her angry. 'Equity release is really worth
looking into. The mortgage company would take it
over and you wouldn't have to pay a thing. They
give you the cash, the interest rolls up and they sell
the house when you die. It means that Amy and I
could have our share now and you could continue
to live in the house.'
Suddenly she remembered Amy's unexpected
phone call; her solicitous enquiry after Hester's
health and her anxiety that the house and garden
would be too big for Hester after her operation.
'Have you spoken to Amy?'
'Well, to be honest I have. She's quite keen,
actually. Her oldest boy is off to school soon and it's
going to be a real squeeze for them.'
'She's always said that she's looked upon Bridge
House as a last resort: a kind of insurance policy
against her old age. That's what Jack intended
when he transferred his share to her. After all,
they're not badly off. You've always said the same,
Robin.'
'I know I have. But let's face it, Hes. I'm not that
far off old age and I'm in a real mess. It was OK for
Jack; he was lucky. He never needed financial help,
so he was able to pass on his share to Amy, but I
never had his flair with investments. To tell you the
truth I've overreached my luck this time and it will
be seriously embarrassing if I can't raise the funds
soon. I wouldn't ask it otherwise. You know how it
is.'
' Now, you mustn't be too cross with him, Hes. He's too
young to understand. You're sorry, aren't you, Robbie?
There, you see. Give Jack a hug and he shall have an
extra sweetie next time .'
' Come to Nanny, there's a good child. He's a bit
unsettled now that Lucy's arrived. It's only to be expected.
It's not his fault .'
'It
some extra cash just now with her rapidly growing
family.'
Hester straightened in her chair, holding the
telephone tightly, but she did not speak.
'I was wondering,' he went on rather tentatively,
'if you'd begun to think about selling up.'
'Sell Bridge House?'
'It makes good sense if you think about it.' He
spoke rapidly, as if the idea were more palatable if
the words were said quickly. 'It's a big place for you
to keep going and, as you've said already, it must be
a bit of a struggle on your pension, especially as you
pay me and Amy rent.'
'I see you've thought it all out,' she said drily.
'You make it sound as if you'd be doing us all a
favour.'
'Well, don't you think I might be?' He sounded
almost jaunty, jollying her along. 'I'm quite sure
Amy could do with the money and wouldn't you
find a little cottage or a bungalow in Dulverton
much more convenient, especially now, after your
operation? Surely you must have thought about
moving, Hes? After all, at your age it's bound to
happen sooner or later, isn't it?'
It was as if he'd slapped her: she felt old and
shocked and humiliated.
'I know you've lived there since you retired, Hes,'
his voice continued sweet and persuasive in her ear,
'but the bottom line is that it's a family asset: it
belongs to the three of us. And it's not as if you'd be
homeless.'
'That's a relief.' Her own voice was as sharp as a
lemon. 'But how can you be so sure, after the
proceeds have been split three ways, that there will
be enough for my little bungalow. Or was it a
cottage?'
He laughed, reassured by her astringency. 'Well,
as to that, I asked a friend of mine who was down
on holiday to have a quick glance at the place. Only
from the road, of course, but he's a chartered
surveyor and he had a look at the local agents and
he said that we're sitting on a little goldmine down
there by the river.'
Hester tried to control a sense of revulsion: she'd
been spied upon by some stranger assessing Bridge
House, weighing it up, looking upon it as a
commodity to assist Robin out of his gambling
debts. Momentarily possessed by anger and fear she
was unable to speak.
'But if you're really against selling up then
why not think about a mortgage, Hester?' He was
wheedling now, as though he guessed that he'd
made her angry. 'Equity release is really worth
looking into. The mortgage company would take it
over and you wouldn't have to pay a thing. They
give you the cash, the interest rolls up and they sell
the house when you die. It means that Amy and I
could have our share now and you could continue
to live in the house.'
Suddenly she remembered Amy's unexpected
phone call; her solicitous enquiry after Hester's
health and her anxiety that the house and garden
would be too big for Hester after her operation.
'Have you spoken to Amy?'
'Well, to be honest I have. She's quite keen,
actually. Her oldest boy is off to school soon and it's
going to be a real squeeze for them.'
'She's always said that she's looked upon Bridge
House as a last resort: a kind of insurance policy
against her old age. That's what Jack intended
when he transferred his share to her. After all,
they're not badly off. You've always said the same,
Robin.'
'I know I have. But let's face it, Hes. I'm not that
far off old age and I'm in a real mess. It was OK for
Jack; he was lucky. He never needed financial help,
so he was able to pass on his share to Amy, but I
never had his flair with investments. To tell you the
truth I've overreached my luck this time and it will
be seriously embarrassing if I can't raise the funds
soon. I wouldn't ask it otherwise. You know how it
is.'
' Now, you mustn't be too cross with him, Hes. He's too
young to understand. You're sorry, aren't you, Robbie?
There, you see. Give Jack a hug and he shall have an
extra sweetie next time .'
' Come to Nanny, there's a good child. He's a bit
unsettled now that Lucy's arrived. It's only to be expected.
It's not his fault .'
'It
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