“Knew?”
“We asked Vi to see the lawyer, weeks ago, because we were afraid, from the very beginning, that—that you were going to be terribly disappointed. Poor old Mr. Rose didn’t have anything to leave.”
“And you let me stay, when you knew?”
“We only wished you’d never find out, dear. We thought that if you got used to us, you could be happy to keep on—”
“A s-silly old woman without a c-cent!” she sobbed. “And all those plans—that see-dan car for Evan, and the fur coat for you, and a little holiday this summer! Oh, I wish I was dead!”
Leonard had risen again. He saw that Evan and Marian were doing more for the silly old woman without a cent than even a millionairess could have expected. They had known all the time, all of them—Violet, too. Here was human nature unmasked at last!
Leonard had grown as pale as Aunt Jean.
“Look here!” he said, with a frown. “Aunt Jean, your idea was—to share with the family. Well, we can manage the car and the fur coat and the little holiday, all right. I’ve won the competition.”
“Leonard!” cried a voice from just beyond the doorway.
He knew it was Violet, but he did not care to look at her just then.