Part 34 (2/2)
He drew forward a second armchair similar to the one in which he had been sitting and motioned Lucy to accept it.
”Your aunt was a worthy woman who will be profoundly missed in the community,” he continued in a droning voice.
Lucy did not answer. In fact the lawyer did not seem to expect she would.
He was apparently delivering himself of a series of observations which came one after the other in habitual sequence, and which he preferred should not be interrupted.
”Death, however, is the common lot of mankind and must come to us all,” he went on in the same singsong tone, ”and I hope that in the thought of your devotion to the deceased you will find comfort.”
Having now terminated the introduction with which he was accustomed to preface his remarks on all such occasions, he regarded the girl in the chair opposite him benignly.
”I was intending to come to see you,” he went on more cheerfully, and yet being careful to modulate his words so that they might still retain the bereavement vibration, ”but you have forestalled me, I see. I did not wish to hurry you unduly.”
”I have been tired,” Lucy replied simply, ”but I am rested now and quite ready to do whatever is necessary.”
”I am glad to hear that, very glad,” Mr. Benton returned. ”Of course there is no immediate haste; nevertheless it is well to straighten out such matters as soon as it can conveniently be done. When do you contemplate leaving town?”
Lucy met the question with a smile.
”Oh, I don't intend to leave Sefton Falls,” she said quickly. ”I have grown very fond of the place and mean to remain here.”
”Indeed,” nodded Mr. Benton. ”That is interesting. I am glad to hear we are not to lose you from the village.”
He rubbed his hands and continued to nod thoughtfully.
”About how soon, if I might ask so personal a question, do you think you could be ready to hand over the house to the new tenant?” he at last ventured with hesitation.
”I'm afraid I don't understand you.”
The lawyer seemed surprised.
”You knew of your aunt's will?”
”I knew she had made a will, yes, sir. She gave it to me to keep for her.”
”You were familiar with the contents of it?”
”Not entirely so,” Lucy answered. ”I knew she had left me the house and some money. She told me that much.”
”U--u--m!” observed Mr. Benton. ”But the second will--she spoke to you of that also?”
”I don't know what you mean.”
”You were not cognizant that a few days before the deceased pa.s.sed--shall we say, away”--he paused mournfully,--”that she made a new will and revoked the previous one?”
”No.”
”No one told you that?”
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