The parson accepted this as an indictment, and looked uneasy. Pawley’s eyes twinkled, as the girl continued:
“Mother is thinking of evicting the Extons.”
Pawley’s eyes stopped twinkling.
“Bless my soul!”
“Brian and I are dead against it, aren’t we, Brian?”
Again the young man laughed, not heartlessly. Cicely, under the stress of excitement, amused him. And excitement became her. She looked—topping. At the same time she was riding for a fall. He must shout out: “ ’Ware wire!” He did so.
“This isn’t our business, Cis.”
“But it is. Eventually, I suppose, Upworthy will go to you.”
“Oh no, not necessarily. Mother has a power of appointment. If I ran rusty, b’Jove, Mother might feel it her duty to leave Upworthy to George Chandos.”
“You selfish pig——!”