Chapter 2 #5
Alice and her mother looked at each other. ‘Alice hasn’t made up her mind about colleges yet,’ said Betsy. ‘She had this notion of Berkeley. I’ve said we’ll have to – you know, talk it over. It’s so far away now. Too far. And – everything else. Our –’
Finances was what Alice knew she was trying to say, for she had seen her mother, head bent over the ledgers and the cheque books, in tears, trying to work it all out in the weeks since his death, and she knew that, when her mother referred to the sliver of Jansen money, it did not cover college; it did not cover much of anything.
Wilder nodded thoughtfully. ‘I can see that.’
‘Did Teddy apply to Barnard?’ said Alice suddenly.
‘Teddy?’ Kynaston’s eyes opened wide. ‘My sister?’
‘Yes,’ Alice said.
‘I think she did, in fact.’ He drank some more wine. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘No reason, sir,’ Alice said. She was tired all of a sudden, and didn’t want to think about college, or money, or the reality of their situation.
She wanted to be away from them both. She thought of the little shelf of treasures, of putting them neatly in place, of lying back in bed, of closing her eyes, of this day being over.
‘You’ve been over to the house a lot, haven’t you?’ Kynaston said. ‘While I’ve been away. Mavis told me.’
Her mother turned to her in horror. ‘Alice!’
‘Betsy, it’s no trouble.’ He smiled and shook his head. ‘It’s nice for Teddy to have visitors. We’re very isolated.’
‘She had no business –’
‘Dad said I should,’ said Alice, her face burning red, and her throat closing up. ‘He said I should go talk to Teddy, try to get to know her.’
‘Why on earth would he say that?’ Betsy said angrily. ‘I’m so sorry, Mr Kynaston –’
‘Wilder,’ Wilder Kynaston said. ‘Please call me Wilder, Betsy.’ He smiled at her.
Alice thought about the letter she’d write to her father, when she was sitting in bed.
You said the clues to the final treasure were Teddy and Sevenstones. I need more clues, Dad! I need you to tell me all these things you didn’t tell me. Is it a place? A name? A book? What about Teddy? I wish you’d told me about Teddy.
‘Dear Bob,’ Wilder said ruefully. ‘He was fond of her, always was. Teddy’s wonderful, Alice dear, but it’s really a waste of your time to try to talk to her.
I’d be careful around her, if she’s not used to you.
’ He stared at the wine. ‘Yes, I’d be careful.
Hey, Betsy,’ he said suddenly. ‘While we’re on the subject of college, did Bob have savings?
Forgive me for mentioning it at a time like this, but is any of it left? ’
‘Oh.’ Betsy put her hands to her cheeks.
‘I haven’t the vaguest idea – I suppose I could’ – she flapped her hands, and her voice rose – ‘ask the bank? But, you know, they weren’t very pleased with him, because he’d fallen behind with the repayments on the orchards …
’ She turned to Alice, who was pouring out the coffee, but Alice shook her head. I don’t know , Mom.
Wilder patted his mouth with his napkin and pushed back the chair. ‘Sure. I’d hate to press you, or put any pressure on you. And, of course, there’s the question of the future. Let me do some thinking.’
‘Oh?’ said her mother faintly. ‘The – of course, Wilder.’
‘And I’m sure you’ll have made your own plans, especially you, Miss Alice.
’ He smiled, accepting the little cup of coffee she handed him.
It was gold-rimmed, with a matching saucer.
Her father’s parents had been given the set as a wedding present.
‘I’ve no doubt, you’re destined for great things.
But tell me, Alice, if you ever need more reading matter, or someone to show you what you should be reading, studying, you come to me, you understand? ’
‘That’s very kind, Wilder,’ said Betsy, nodding gratefully. ‘Oh – Alice, thank Mr Kynaston, won’t you.’
‘Thank you,’ said Alice. Her cheeks were still red.
‘I mean it. I was very fond of Bob. I want to do right by you both.’ He drained the coffee and stood up, pushing back his chair.
‘I’ll wait to hear from you on your future plans.
I’m devastated, having to ask at all, but I know Bob was a man of honour and if the bank calls in the loan the orchards will come back to me …
He and I had discussed it, you understand, and I’d lent him some money to make some payments, but I’m not sure he ever did.
’ Betsy’s mouth was open, her face frozen.
‘So there’s the little matter of what you’ll live on and where. ’
‘Where?’ said Betsy, frowning, as if she really had no idea what was coming. Alice swallowed, hugging herself, her thin frame shivering.
‘I’d have asked you to leave this place in a month or so, for I know you’ll have realized I’ll be getting in new tenants, someone who can pay perhaps or take over from Bob, but it’d be cruel to do it before Christmas.
’ He smiled down at her, and her mother stared up helplessly at him, the hard glare of the overhead light casting black shadows in the ruffles of her shirt.
‘So let’s wait till New Year sometime – shall we say you’ll be gone by Valentine’s Day?
Does that sound okay? As I say, I’d feel just awful making you homeless so soon, and that seems long enough.
’ He shrugged on his jacket, pulling down the sleeves of his shirt so that they protruded perfectly, one exact inch.
He smiled at them, and Alice heard a tiny gas-like series of bubbles gurgle in his stomach.
‘You’ll let me know if you turn up any of the money?
He did borrow from me too, dear Bob. But a debt’s a debt, isn’t it? ’
‘Yes! Of course,’ said Betsy, her tone gay, her eyes wide. ‘Of course, Wilder. A debt’s a debt.’