Part 14 (1/2)

Uncle Peter came in hurriedly, with short, nervous steps. His hair as well as his eyebrows was now white, his eye was hollow, his cheeks were thin, his mouth was restless, and he had lost some of his upper teeth, he coughed frequently, he was shabbily dressed, and had the look of a dying man.

”Ah! it's you, Anne! and Philip, too. Good morning, Philip. Give the piano a rest, Ross--that's a good lad. Well, Miss Christian, well!”

”Philip came of age yesterday, Peter,” said Auntie Nan in a timid voice.

”Indeed!” said the Ballawhaine, ”then Ross is twenty next month. A little more than a year and a month between them.”

He scrutinised the old lady's face for a moment without speaking, and then said, ”Well?”

”He would like to go to London to study for the bar,” faltered Auntie Nan.

”Why not the church at home?”

”The church would have been my own choice, Peter, but his father----”

The Ballawhaine crossed his leg over his knee. ”His father was always a man of a high stomach, ma'am,” he said. Then facing towards Philip, ”Your idea would be to return to the island.”

”Yes,” said Philip.

”Practice as an advocate, and push your way to insular preferment?”

”My father seemed to wish it, sir,” said Philip.

The Ballawhaine turned back to Auntie Nan. ”Well, Miss Christian?”

Auntie Nan fumbled the handle of her umbrella and began--”We were thinking, Peter--you see we know so little--now if his father had been living----”

The Ballawhaine coughed, scratched with his nail on his cheek, and said, ”You wish me to put him with a barrister in chambers, is that it?”

With a nervous smile and a little laugh of relief Auntie Nan signified a.s.sent.

”You are aware that a step like that costs money. How much have you got to spend on it?”

”I'm afraid, Peter----”

”You thought I might find the expenses, eh?”

”It's so good of you to see it in the right way, Peter.”

The Ballawhaine made a wry face. ”Listen,” he said dryly. ”Ross has just gone to study for the English bar.”

”Yes,” said Auntie Nan eagerly, ”and it was partly that----”

”Indeed!” said the Ballawhaine, raising his eyebrows. ”I calculate that his course in London will cost me, one thing with another, more than a thousand pounds.”

Auntie Nan lifted her gloved hands in amazement.

”That sum I am prepared to spend in order that my son, as an English barrister, may have a better chance----”

”Do you know, we were thinking of that ourselves, Peter?” said Auntie Nan.