So this was justice; this was all he got for his pains! How unaccountable women were!
Lavendar awaited some time his summons to join Mrs. de Tracy and her grandson in what seemed to him must be a portentous interview enough, trying meanwhile somewhat unsuccessfully to console Mrs. Loring for the destruction of the plum tree, and exchanging with her somewhat awe-struck comments on the scene they had both just witnessed. No summons came, however; but half an hour later, he came across Carnaby alone, and an interview promptly ensued. He wanted to plumb the depth of the boy-mind and to learn exactly what motives had prompted Carnaby 291 to this sudden and startling action in the matter of the plum tree.
“Had you a bad quarter of an hour with your grandmother?” was his first question. Carnaby, he thought, looked subdued, and not much wonder.
The boy hesitated.
“Not so bad as I expected,” was his answer. “The old lady was wonderfully decent, for her. She gave me a talking to, of course.”
“I should hope so!” interpolated Lavendar drily.
“She jawed away about our poverty,” continued Carnaby. “She’s got that on the brain, as you know. She said that this loss of the money––Waller R. A.’s money, she means, of course––is an awful blow. She said it was, but it seemed to me––” Carnaby paused, looking extremely puzzled.
“It seemed to you––?” prompted Lavendar encouragingly.
“That she wasn’t so awfully cut up, after all,” said Carnaby. “She seemed putting it 292 on, if you know what I mean.” Lavendar pricked up his ears. Mrs. de Tracy’s intense reluctance to sell the land recurred to him in a flash. To get her consent had been like drawing a tooth, like taking her life-blood drop by drop. Could it be that she was not very sorry after all that the scheme had fallen through, secretly glad, indeed? It was conceivable that this was Mrs. de Tracy’s view, but her grandson’s motive was still obscure.
“Why did you do it, Carnaby?” Lavendar asked with kindness and gravity both in his voice. “You have committed a very mischievous action, you know, one that would have borne a harsher name had the transfers been signed and had the plum tree changed hands.”