‘You’ll be anxious to tell your mother. Go and spend the day with her, but be back by five o’clock; then we’ll talk things over. I have business with the lawyers again.’
Clem repaired to the Close. Late in the afternoon she and her husband again met at home, and by this time Joseph’s elation had convinced her that he was telling the truth. Never had he been in such a suave humour; he seemed to wish to make up for his late severities. Seating himself near her, he began pleasantly:
‘Well, things might have been worse, eh?’
‘I s’pose they might.’
‘I haven’t spoken to Jane yet. Time enough after the funeral. What shall we do for the poor girl, eh?’
‘How do I know?’
‘You won’t grudge her a couple of pounds a week, or so, just to enable her to live with the Byasses, as she has been doing?’
‘I s’pose the money’s your own to do what you like with.’
‘Very kind of you to say so, my dear. But we’re well-to-do people now, and we must be polite to each other. Where shall we take a house, Clem? Would you like to be a bit out of town? There’s very nice places within easy reach of King’s Cross, you know, on the Great Northern. A man I know lives at Potter’s Bar, and finds it very pleasant; good air. Of course I must be within easy reach of business.’
She kept drawing her nails over a fold in her dress, making a scratchy sound.