第8部分(第1/7 頁)

〃Chubby　would　never　…〃　she　began。

〃No；〃　said　Lenox；　〃I　don't　believe　he　would；　he　knows　a　jolly　sight　too　well　which　way　his　bread　is　buttered。〃

〃Darling；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　〃you　have　such　a　coarse　way　of　putting　things。〃

〃Sorry；〃　said　Lenox。

Lady　Tamplin　gathered　up　the　Daily　Mail　and　her　negligee；　a　vanity…bag；　and　various　odd　letters。

〃I　shall　write　to　dear　Katherine　at　once；〃　she　said；　〃and　remind　her　of　the　dear　old　days　at　Edgeworth。〃

She　went　into　the　house；　a　light　of　purpose　shining　in　her　eyes。

Unlike　Mrs　Samuel　Harfield；　correspondence　flowed　easily　from　her　pen。　She　covered　four　sheets　without　pause　or　effort；　and　on　re…reading　it　found　no　occasion　to　alter　a　word。

Katherine　received　it　on　the　morning　of　her　arrival　in　London。　Whether　she　read　between　the　lines　of　it　or　not　is　another　matter。

She　put　it　in　her　handbag　and　started　out　to　keep　the　appointment　she　had　made　with　Mrs　Harfield's　lawyers。

The　firm　was　an　old…established　one　in　Lincoln's　Inn　Fields；　and　after　a　few　minutes'　delay　Katherine　was　shown　into　the　presence　of　the　senior　partner；　a　kindly；　elderly　man　with　shrewd　blue　eyes　and　a　fatherly　manner。

They　discussed　Mrs　Harfield's　will　and　various　legal　matters　for　some　minutes；　then　Katherine　handed　the　lawyer　Mrs　Samuel's　letter。

〃I　had　better　show　you　this；　I　suppose；〃　she　said；　〃though　it　is　really　rather　ridiculous。〃

He　read　it　with　a　slight　smile。

〃Rather　a　crude　attempt；　Miss　Grey。　I　need　hardly　tell　you；　I　suppose；　that　these　people　have　no　claim　of　any　kind　upon　the　estate；　and　if　they　endeavour　to　contest　the　will　no　court　will　uphold　them。〃

〃I　thought　as　much。〃

〃Human　nature　is　not　always　very　wise。　In　Mrs　Samuel　Harfie