Theresa was sitting up in bed yawning.
Charles took a seat on the bed.
“What a decorative female you are, Theresa,” he remarked appreciatively.
Theresa said sharply:
“What’s the matter?” Charles grinned.
“Sharp, aren’t you? Well, I stole a march on you, my girl! Thought I’d make my touch before you got to work.”
“Well?”
Charles spread his hands downwards in negation.
“Nothing doing! Aunt Emily ticked me off good and proper. She intimated that she was under no illusions as to why her affectionate family had gathered round her! And she also intimated that the said affectionate family would be disappointed. Nothing being handed out but affection—and not so much of that.”
“You might have waited a bit,” said Theresa drily.
Charles grinned again.
“I was afraid you or Tanios might get in ahead of me. I’m sadly afraid, Theresa my sweet, that there’ll be nothing doing this time. Old Emily is by no means a fool.”
“I never thought she was.”
“I even tried to put the wind up her.”
“What d’you mean?” asked his sister sharply.
“Told her she was going about it the right way to get bumped off. After all she can’t take the dibs to heaven with her. Why not loosen up a bit?”
“Charles, you are a fool!”
“No, I’m not. I’m a bit of a psychologist in my way. It’s never a bit of good sucking up to the old girl. She much prefers you to stand up to her. And after all, I was only talking sense. We get the money when she dies—she might just as well part with a little beforehand! Otherwise the temptation to help her out of the way might become overwhelming.”
“Did she see your point?” asked Theresa, her delicate mouth curling up scornfully.
“I’m not sure. She didn’t admit it. Just thanked me rather nastily for my advice and said she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘I’ve warned you.’ ‘I’ll remember it,’ she said.”
Theresa said angrily:
“Really, Charles, you are an utter fool.”
“Damn it all, Theresa, I was a bit ratty myself! The old girl’s rolling—simply rolling. I bet she doesn’t spend a tenth part of her income—what has she got to spend it on, anyway? And here we are—young, able to enjoy life—and to spite us she’s capable of living to a hundred….I want my fun now….So do you….”
Theresa nodded.
She said in a low, breathless voice:
“They don’t understand—old people don’t….they can’t….They don’t know what it is to live!”
Brother and sister were silent for some minutes.
Charles got up.
“Well, my love, I wish you better success than I’ve had. But I rather doubt it.”
Theresa said: