after a brief interval the sitting room door opened and Theresa ushered in the young doctor.
‘I gather you’re worried about your aunt,’ Nightingale said cheerfully when Theresa had discreetly removed herself.
‘Actually, Miss Tillard is my wife’s aunt,’ Godfrey said in precise tones.
Nightingale smiled affably. ‘I’ve written her a prescription, we’ll see how she gets along with that. I’ll look in again on Monday.’
‘She’s had a number of these upsets over the last few years.’
Nightingale raised his shoulders. ‘Colonial types,’ he said lightly. ‘Like their curries and their groundnut stews. A bit hard on the digestion. I’ve had a word with Miss Onil, she seems a sensible woman.’ He glanced round the walls, at the wooden masks, crossed spears, curious shaped objects of incised brass. ‘Quite a little outpost of Empire.’ He picked up his bag. ‘No reason why you shouldn’t go in and see your aunt.’
Miss Tillard had raised herself against the pillows when Theresa ushered Godfrey into the bedroom. ‘I feel a little better already,’ Elinor said with an air of thankfulness. ‘I don’t know if it’s just the effect of Dr Nightingale’s manner.’ She smiled faintly. ‘He’s rather bracing.’
Theresa went along to the kitchen to make the coffee. ‘I’m worried about her,’ Miss Tillard said with an anxious look.
‘I’m sure you’ve no need to be.’ Godfrey patted her hand. ‘She always appears very content.’
Miss Tillard put up a thin hand and touched her hair, once so long, so thick and dark, now sparse, almost totally white. She sighed and shook her head. ‘It isn’t the present I’m thinking about, it’s the future. Theresa’s future.’ She shot a direct look at Godfrey. ‘My own future may not extend all that far.’
‘You mustn’t talk like that. You’ll be up and about in no time at all.’
‘I haven’t been fair to Theresa,’ Miss Tillard said as if he hadn’t spoken. ‘I’ve been a very selfish woman. Whether I die this year or in ten years’ time, what is to become of her when I’m gone?’
Godfrey frowned. ‘Surely I understood from you that you’ve made provision for Theresa?’
Elinor made an impatient movement of her head. ‘I added a codicil to my will ten or twelve years ago,’ she said with contempt. ‘I’ve left her some money.’
Godfrey had never actually seen a copy of the will but he believed that he had a pretty good idea of its contents. Miss Tillard was fond of asking his advice, there were a number of matters in which she allowed him to handle affairs directly but certain nooks and crannies of her financial concerns she kept to herself.
‘A thousand pounds,’ Elinor said now, mentioning the figure to him for the first time, uttering the words with scorn. ‘It seemed a substantial sum at the time. It isn’t worth much today.’
‘It strikes me as very fair,’ Godfrey said mildly. It occurred to him with bitter amusement that in a month or two a thousand pounds might strike him as a princely sum. For a moment he entertained a wild notion of opening his mouth and saying, ‘I am very probably on the verge of bankruptcy,’ and allowing events to move on from there. But he merely passed a hand across his mouth as if obliterating all traces of the unspoken words. ‘I’m sure Theresa wouldn’t expect more,’ he added.
‘She has no friends in England,’ Elinor said fiercely.
‘Oh, come now!’ Godfrey’s tone held reproof. There’s myself, Pauline—’
‘And none in Africa.’ Elinor’s expressive look appeared to attach little importance to the warmth of the Barratt family’s feeling for Theresa. ‘Where would she go? What would she do?’
‘I really think we can forget the question of Theresa’s future for the present,’ Godfrey said soothingly. ‘We’ll discuss it thoroughly when you’re quite better.’ He put a hand into his breast pocket and drew out some papers. ‘By the way, I need your signature—’ Elinor listened with an abstracted air as he explained, she gave a brusque nod when he had finished.
‘I could simply increase the legacy.’ She frowned down at the bedspread. Godfrey picked up a magazine from the top of a rosewood chest and laid it in front of Miss Tillard. ‘Or I could cancel the legacy,’ she added. ‘Leave her the bungalow and a small income for life.’ She took the pen Godfrey held out, glanced at the papers he placed on the firm surface of the magazine. ‘Or I could make it a decent income and cut down on the bequests to the girls.’ She wrote her signature to each paper in turn in the place where Godfrey’s finger indicated. ‘Both the girls are well enough provided for,’ she said in a musing tone as if she were simply speaking her thoughts aloud and had forgotten that there was anyone else in the room.
Godfrey gathered up the papers and returned them to his pocket. There was a faint rattle of a tray outside the door, a light knock and Theresa came in with the coffee.
‘If I might ask you something,’ she said quietly to Godfrey a few minutes later. ‘You mentioned over the phone that Mrs Barratt might be calling in later on. I wonder – if she thought of coming this afternoon – if she would mind if I went off to Chilford while she was here to sit with Miss Tillard. I’d like to go in on the bus to have the doctor’s prescription made up. I wouldn’t really care to leave Miss Tillard on her own just yet.’
‘Nonsense!’ Elinor said loudly. ‘I’ll be perfectly all right on my own. Pauline wouldn’t find it in the least convenient to come over on a Saturday afternoon at this time of the year.’
‘Of course she’ll come over,’ Godfrey said. ‘She would have come with me this morning except that Theresa felt that two visitors at once might be too tiring for you.’
‘I won’t hear of her coming,’ Elinor said resolutely. ‘I don’t in the least mind being left by myself.’
‘I shall settle the matter,’ Godfrey said, ‘by going into Chilford myself and getting the prescription made up. It won’t take me any time at all in the car.’
‘That’s a much better idea,’ Elinor said. ‘And then Pauline can come to see me just when it suits her.’
Godfrey held out his hand. ‘I’ll take the prescription now. Before I forget it.’
Elinor looked on as the paper was handed over. A trace of reluctance surely in Theresa’s movements. Elinor felt a pang of remorse. Theresa had in all probability been looking forward to the little outing to Chilford, a brief escape from the tedium of her duties. She must be given a whole day off the very moment Elinor was recovered.
Anxiety about Theresa’s future began to thrust at her again. I can’t let it slide, she thought, it must be settled.
‘The boys will be home from school on Tuesday.’ Godfrey had not yet finished his coffee. ‘If you’re feeling strong enough by then they’ll come over to see you.’
‘I shall look forward to that,’ Elinor murmured. She continued to nod and smile as Godfrey talked about the boys and their summer camp. It isn’t really right and proper
