PART THREE DECEMBER 24TH

“Do you really want me to stay on here, Father?” asked Harry¹. He tilted² his head back. “I’m

stirring up rather a hornet’s nest, you know.”

“What do you mean?” asked Simeon sharply.

“Brother Alfred,” said Harry. “Good brother Alfred! He, if I may say so, resents my presence

here.”

“The devil he does!” snapped Simeon. “I’m master in this house.”

“All the same, sir, I expect you’re pretty dependent on Alfred. I don’t want to upset—”

“You’ll do as I tell you,” snapped his father.

Harry yawned.

“Don’t know that I shall be able to stick a stay-at-home life. Pretty stifling³ to a fellow who’s

knocked about the world.”

His father said: “You’d better marry and settle down.”

Harry said: “Who shall I marry? Pity one can’t marry one’s niece. Young Pilar is devilish

attractive.”

“You’ve noticed that?”

“Talking of settling down, fat George has done well for himself as far as looks go. Who was

she?”

Simeon shrugged⁴ his shoulders.

“How should I know? George picked her up at a mannequin parade, I believe. She says her

father was a retired⁵ naval⁶ officer.”

Harry said:

“Probably a second mate of a coasting steamer. George will have a bit of trouble with her if

he’s not careful.”

“George,” said Simeon Lee, “is a fool.”

Harry said: “What did she marry him for—his money?”

Simeon shrugged his shoulders.

Harry said: “Well, you think that you can square Alfred all right?”

“We’ll soon settle that,” said Simeon grimly.

He touched a bell that stood on a table near him.

分享到：