we next met. I smiled inwardly at the prospect.
My uncle clearly thought highly of Amos Carew.
"Here you are, Amos. This is my . . . well, we haven't quite worked out the relationship, but her mother is, I think, my nearest relation and so we call each other niece and uncle. That is a title which fits a lot of relationships even when it is not entirely accurate."
"Well, I'm pleased to meet you, madam," said Amos Carew. He took my hand and squeezed it in a manner which was decidedly painful. I thought he was going to crack my bones.
"I have heard of you," I said, "so it is a pleasure to meet you."
He laughed. Amos Carew laughed a great deal, I soon noticed. He had a variety of laughs—overhearty, deprecating, just amused. It could be due to nervousness, but no. I didn't think he would ever be nervous. Cautious perhaps . . .
"His lordship likes me to pop in now and then to give him an account of things."
"Yes, of course," I said. "I am sure the estate is of great interest to him."
"Well, it's hard for his lordship." The little laugh followed the words. Sympathetic this time, I thought. "Cooped up, you might say," he went on. "And he was always a one for the outdoor life, wasn't that so, your lordship?"
"Ah yes, I liked being out. Walking . . . fishing . . ."
"What you would call an all-round sportsman, eh, pet?" Jessie looked at Amos and a significant glance passed between them. Amos laughed again. This time appreciation for a sportsman coupled with sympathy for his present plight.
"I would like you to show my . . . er . . . niece something of the estate sometimes, Amos."
"Gladly, my lord."
"Well, you must take her on the rounds. Would you like that, Zipporah?"
"Very much," I said.
"You'll get some notion of the size of it. I think you'll find it a good deal bigger than your Clavering." He turned to Amos. "My niece's husband should have come with her," he went on, "but was prevented by an unfortunate accident. Next time . . . he'll be with her."
"That will be right and proper, my lord."
"Yes."
I listened to them talking about the estate. Uncle Carl seemed intent on taking it all in and now and then would throw a glance at me. I also listened with interest because Jean-Louis often talked to me about the difficulties at Clavering so I understood what they were talking about.
When Amos Carew said he must go Jessie conducted him to the door. I was watching them in a mirror and I saw her whisper something to him.
There's some sort of conspiracy going on, I thought. Then I laughed at myself. Gerard with his mock seriousness and his jokes had made me see something in this situation which was nothing more than a besotted man and a grasping woman, who, while she played the role of my uncle's mistress, was in fact conducting a love affair with his manager.
At dinner I thought Jessie seemed particularly pleased with herself and went off rather earlier than usual for her rendezvous with Amos.
I made my way to my uncle's room, for I felt I had much to tell him.
He was eagerly awaiting me; he looked very much alive and his brown eyes sparkled almost with mischief, I thought.
He took my hand as I bent over to kiss him.
"Sit down, my dear, and tell me what you have done and then ... I have something to tell you."
I immediately explained how I had gone into the town on the previous day and seen the younger Mr. Rosen, who was drawing up the will which I should collect tomorrow.
He nodded. "That is good. Then it must be signed and sent to Rosen. Ha, ha. Poor Jessie. She will get a shock, I fear. But it is the only way."
"But, uncle," I said, "she cannot expect to inherit a large family estate. I am sure she does not."
He laughed. "You don't know Jessie," he said fondly. "Jessie has large ideas. Poor Jess . . . but I've fooled her, I'm afraid. I . . . er . . . signed something . . . yesterday ... I had to make her happy."
"You signed something!"
He gave me a grin and touched his lips. I thought then that it was
My uncle clearly thought highly of Amos Carew.
"Here you are, Amos. This is my . . . well, we haven't quite worked out the relationship, but her mother is, I think, my nearest relation and so we call each other niece and uncle. That is a title which fits a lot of relationships even when it is not entirely accurate."
"Well, I'm pleased to meet you, madam," said Amos Carew. He took my hand and squeezed it in a manner which was decidedly painful. I thought he was going to crack my bones.
"I have heard of you," I said, "so it is a pleasure to meet you."
He laughed. Amos Carew laughed a great deal, I soon noticed. He had a variety of laughs—overhearty, deprecating, just amused. It could be due to nervousness, but no. I didn't think he would ever be nervous. Cautious perhaps . . .
"His lordship likes me to pop in now and then to give him an account of things."
"Yes, of course," I said. "I am sure the estate is of great interest to him."
"Well, it's hard for his lordship." The little laugh followed the words. Sympathetic this time, I thought. "Cooped up, you might say," he went on. "And he was always a one for the outdoor life, wasn't that so, your lordship?"
"Ah yes, I liked being out. Walking . . . fishing . . ."
"What you would call an all-round sportsman, eh, pet?" Jessie looked at Amos and a significant glance passed between them. Amos laughed again. This time appreciation for a sportsman coupled with sympathy for his present plight.
"I would like you to show my . . . er . . . niece something of the estate sometimes, Amos."
"Gladly, my lord."
"Well, you must take her on the rounds. Would you like that, Zipporah?"
"Very much," I said.
"You'll get some notion of the size of it. I think you'll find it a good deal bigger than your Clavering." He turned to Amos. "My niece's husband should have come with her," he went on, "but was prevented by an unfortunate accident. Next time . . . he'll be with her."
"That will be right and proper, my lord."
"Yes."
I listened to them talking about the estate. Uncle Carl seemed intent on taking it all in and now and then would throw a glance at me. I also listened with interest because Jean-Louis often talked to me about the difficulties at Clavering so I understood what they were talking about.
When Amos Carew said he must go Jessie conducted him to the door. I was watching them in a mirror and I saw her whisper something to him.
There's some sort of conspiracy going on, I thought. Then I laughed at myself. Gerard with his mock seriousness and his jokes had made me see something in this situation which was nothing more than a besotted man and a grasping woman, who, while she played the role of my uncle's mistress, was in fact conducting a love affair with his manager.
At dinner I thought Jessie seemed particularly pleased with herself and went off rather earlier than usual for her rendezvous with Amos.
I made my way to my uncle's room, for I felt I had much to tell him.
He was eagerly awaiting me; he looked very much alive and his brown eyes sparkled almost with mischief, I thought.
He took my hand as I bent over to kiss him.
"Sit down, my dear, and tell me what you have done and then ... I have something to tell you."
I immediately explained how I had gone into the town on the previous day and seen the younger Mr. Rosen, who was drawing up the will which I should collect tomorrow.
He nodded. "That is good. Then it must be signed and sent to Rosen. Ha, ha. Poor Jessie. She will get a shock, I fear. But it is the only way."
"But, uncle," I said, "she cannot expect to inherit a large family estate. I am sure she does not."
He laughed. "You don't know Jessie," he said fondly. "Jessie has large ideas. Poor Jess . . . but I've fooled her, I'm afraid. I . . . er . . . signed something . . . yesterday ... I had to make her happy."
"You signed something!"
He gave me a grin and touched his lips. I thought then that it was
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