‘I shall not answer that. You may draw your own conclusions. I am not a vindictive woman.’
Fiona walked back to where her horse was cropping the grasses. Scrambling she mounted and turned the animal’s head towards home. At the stables she changed her mind. She turned from the headland and followed the narrow track away from the house and towards the village. At the turning she took the steep road which led to the National Trust property on which the rent-free Campions was enclosed in trees. To the frenzied yapping of Diana’s dachshunds she hitched the horse’s reins to the gatepost and shouted.
A maid came out from the back door and yelled at the dogs, who subsided.
‘Is Mrs Bosse-Leyden at home?’ asked Fiona.
‘No. Taken the car into Truro, miss.’
‘Mr Bosse-Leyden?’
‘Working. But you come in, Miss Bute, while I see if he’ll disturb himself to see you.’ She ushered the dogs into their wired enclosures and returned to the house. Fiona opened the gate and walked into the untidy garden. Rupert came out by the french windows which overlooked it. The pen with which he had been writing was still in his hand. He clipped it into his top pocket and took Fiona in his arms.
‘Is Fiona coming back here to live?’ said Gamaliel.
‘Only until Rupert and Diana have settled their affairs, if she comes at all,’ said Garnet, ‘and that will not be until after my grandmother’s death.’
‘Why will they wait until then?’
‘Because she won’t let them settle their affairs in the way they would like.’
‘It’s to do with the money, I suppose. She did not tell us very much that evening, did she? Will she leave you anything?’
‘Yes, a good deal, I think. Some would say that I should have it all.’
‘Rather than my mother and Rupert?’
‘Well, I’m the nearest male heir.’
‘Would you like to have it all?’
‘I should like to have enough to give some to Blue.’
‘Wouldn’t she rather have it left to her by my great grandmother?’
‘It would make no difference, so long as she got it.’
‘It would make a difference to me.’
‘You are a man, Greg. Women think differently.’
‘Fiona doesn’t. That’s why she won’t come back here to live. It is because she feels sure she will not be left anything if she does. Is Rupert still fond of her?’
‘Yes. Rupert will marry her as soon as my grandmother dies.’
‘You mean he will get a divorce from Diana?’
‘Yes, I mean that.’
‘Won’t Diana mind?’
‘Oh, dear me, no. She will welcome it, and so shall I.’
‘But my great grandmother has to die first?’
‘Yes, that is so.’
‘And then everybody will be happy?’
‘I hope so, yes.’
‘There are three who will not be happy.’
‘How do you make that out?’
‘Will Diana come to live here with us?’
‘Oh, now, there’s no need for you to jump to any conclusions.’
‘My mother will never share a house with Diana.’
‘How do you know?’
‘She told my father she wouldn’t. If Diana comes, will Quentin and Millament come to live here too?’
‘Oh, do stop anticipating what is going to happen!’
‘I hope my great grandmother goes on living for years and years, that’s all,’ said Gamaliel, ‘because, if she dies under the present circumstances, it will mean that someone has murdered her.’
‘Where
‘I have studied the situation. Garnie, do you want to marry Diana as much as she wants to marry you? I think not.’
‘I can’t discuss it, Greg.’
