The lawyer studied his finger-nails intensely.
“Well,” he said, feeling with a finger-tip an imaginary roughness of one nail-edge. “Well, in that case—In that case—Supposing you have made an irrevocable decision—”
He looked up at her sharply. She nodded slowly, like a porcelain mandarin.
“In that case,” he said, “we must proceed with the valuation and the preparation for the sale.”
“Yes,” she said faintly.
“You realize,” he said, “that everything in Manchester House, except your private personal property, and that of Miss Pinnegar, belongs to the claimants, your father’s creditors, and may not be removed from the house.”
“Yes,” she said.
“And it will be necessary to make an account of everything in the house. So if you and Miss Pinnegar will put your possessions strictly apart—But I shall see Miss Pinnegar during the course of the day. Would you ask her to call about seven—I think she is free then—”
Alvina sat trembling.
“I shall pack my things today,” she said.