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village, even if there were anyone able and willing to take him in”
    A pretty pink colour came into Emmeline’s cheeks.
    “But Arnold, he will stay with me. Of course. I have never thought of anything else, and nor has he—at least—”
    “That is a pity.”
    “Oh, no!”
    Arnold had remained standing. He walked now to the window. Another of those accursed cats lay stretched among the cushions of the low, broad seat—a yellow one this time, and probably shedding its hairs all over the place. Even if he had felt any slight weakening—and Emmeline’s eyes had done some heart-melting in their time—the sight would have stiffened him. The place was positively insanitary! He turned and said coldly,
    “I am afraid I must ask both you and Edward to make other plans.”
    She gazed at him.
    “Other plans?”
    “Yes. I do not wish to inconvenience you in any way, but Fullerby is quite past his work. It has been obvious for a long time, and I have now given him notice. The gardener whom I am going to engage has a family, and will have to be provided with a cottage. James was only able to offer you this lodge because Fullerby owned his own house in the village.”
    Emmeline looked quite bewildered.
    “But, Arnold, I’ve been here for sixteen years. I never thought—”
    “Perhaps you will do so now. If you are in any doubt about the legal position, let me reassure you. You had no agreement about the lodge, I believe, and you have never paid any rent for it.”
    “No,” said Emmeline. Then, after a little pause, “James was a very kind brother.”
    He remained where he was, silhouetted against the sunny garden.
    “You had no agreement, and you paid no rent. The furniture, such as it is, was, I believe, put into the house and lent to you by James.”
    “Some of the things are my own.”
    “No doubt. But you cannot claim an unfurnished tenancy. You cannot, in fact, claim a tenancy at all. James allowed you to reside here because he did not require the house for a gardener. I do.”
    Emmeline’s hands had remained folded in the lap of her blue smock. Her eyes maintained the wide puzzled look which he found so absurd in a woman of her age. It was almost as if she did not understand what he was saying. He raised his voice.
    “As I said, I have no desire to inconvenience you. You will probably want to look round before you settle again. I would suggest that you go into rooms in Embank or anywhere else that may suit you—” He stopped because she was shaking her head.
    “No, I should not care about that.”
    “Well, of course I have no wish to dictate.”
    She looked at him very directly and said,
    “It is not because of Fullerby and the new gardener—is it, Arnold? It is because of Edward. You do not like Edward to be here.”
    “I do not think it at all suitable that he should be here.”
    “It has always been his home, Arnold. It would still be his home if James had not believed that he was dead.”
    His cold composure broke.
    “Burlingham has given him this agency for the express purpose of making things unpleasant for me! It is, I suppose, his vulgar idea of a joke! Take the black sheep of the family and set him down at your neighbour’s gate! One doesn’t expect anything from a pig but a grunt, but I must say, Emmeline, I am surprised that you should lend yourself to such a discreditable manoeuvre! Since you appear to have an affection for Edward, you ought to be able to see that you are doing him a great disservice by pushing him into the limelight and raking up a lot of things which would be much better forgotten. If you really care for him you would do better to persuade him to go elsewhere.”
    She maintained her gaze.
    “And if he did?”
    “It would be a great deal better for him. If he goes where nobody knows him he can make a fresh start, and there will be no interest in where he has been or what he has done during the last five years. Whereas here—” He threw up his head with a movement