Suddenly she said to him, with a certain hesitation:
"There was one more point I wanted to speak to you about. Can you advise me about selling some of those railway shares?"
She pointed to an item in a short list of investments that lay beside them.
"But why?" said Aldous, surprised. "They are excellent property already, and are going up in value."
"Yes, I know. But I want some ready money immediately—more than we have—to spend on cottage-building in the village. I saw a builder yesterday and came to a first understanding with him. We are altering the water-supply too. They have begun upon it already, and it will cost a good deal."
Aldous was still puzzled.
"I see," he said. "But—don't you suppose that the income of the estate, now that your father has done so much to free it, will be enough to meet expenses of that kind, without trenching on investments? A certain amount, of course, should be systematically laid aside every year for rebuilding, and estate improvements generally."
"Yes; but you see I only regard half of the income as mine."
She looked up with a little smile.
He was now standing in front of her, against the fire, his grey eyes, which could be, as she well knew, so cold and inexpressive, bent upon her with eager interest.