Silence in Court Read Online Free PDF Page B

but a façade. Norse mythology. I think our Honor is an Elle-maid.”
    â€œYou shouldn’t torment her.”
    â€œWhy not? It amuses me. I must have something to amuse me. If I couldn’t quarrel with Nora and stick an occasional pin into Honor, I’d go raving. Besides, you know, this Ernest affair is about the limit.”
    â€œWhat’s the matter with him?”
    He flung the stub of his cigarette into the fire.
    â€œWhat’s wrong! Ever hear of the respected Aylwin? No, you wouldn’t, but he’s Aunt Honoria’s solicitor, and a kind of family connection into the bargain. One of those firms where everyone has died off, but the names are kept embalmed like a lot of mummies—Weston, Weston, Montague, and Aylwin. Well, he’s Aylwin, and about twice a month when Aunt Honoria changes her will he comes along and gives her a lot of good advice which she doesn’t take.”
    Carey looked up, she didn’t quite know why. Their eyes met.
    â€œWhy does she change her will?”
    He was smiling, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
    â€œBecause it amuses her. She’s been doing it for years—she does it all the time. Robert, Honor, Nora, and I—we’re all on our promotion. If she’s annoyed she does a little juggling with her will—five thousand off Nora and on to me—ten thousand off me and on to our respectable Robert—twenty thousand off Honor and perhaps, who knows, on to you.”
    â€œDennis!”
    He laughed at her indignant tone.
    â€œIt would be more than that if anyone blew the gaff about Ernest Hood, and Honor knows it. That’s why she creeps about going pink round the nose. Because, you know, Ernest is the respected Aylwin’s clerk, and Aunt Honoria would just about die in a fit if she thought he would dare look the same side of the street as Uncle James’s niece. He used to come here with papers for Aunt Honoria to sign, and I suppose Honor chucked herself at his head. Then he got called up for the Army, and we hoped we’d seen the last of him. But he’s back again—flat feet, or fallen arches or something. Perhaps they just couldn’t swallow him. I’m sure I don’t blame them.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong about him?”
    Dennis was lighting a cigarette. He drew at it, flung the match into the fire, and said,
    â€œEverything. He’s like the sort of things you turn up under a stone—definitely sub-human.”
    â€œWhy does Honor—”
    â€œShe wants to get married, and I should think Ernest is the only person who has ever shown the slightest sign of asking her. He won’t commit himself unless he’s sure about the money, and that’s just what nobody can be sure about.”
    Carey sat up rather straight. She was pale. Her skin looked very white between the deep blue of her dress and the shining black of her hair. Her eyes matched the dress, and her lashes matched the hair. She said,
    â€œWhy are you telling me all this?”
    Dennis smiled his very charming smile.
    â€œPerhaps because you’re easy to look at, perhaps because there’s a natural bond of sympathy between us. Or I might be warning you off the grass, or inviting you to join the expectant throng.”
    â€œWhy should you?”
    He blew out a little cloud of smoke. It tinged the air between them.
    â€œWell, my own idea has always been that we ought to have a gentleman’s agreement, just among the family. If we agreed to share and share alike, whatever the will said, we should know exactly where we were and cut out this uncertainty which is playing the devil with us all. You see, we’ve been brought up too close to money to do without it, and none of us have twopence-halfpenny of our own except Robert—and show me anyone in business who doesn’t want more, especially these days. Then take Nora. Her husband hasn’t got a bean—if he gets killed she’ll