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The Gate House :: Demille Nelson
Страница: 425 из 490But then he turned to me and said, “We will see what Susan’s decision is.”
“Indeed, we will. But you and your wife will leave this house now and make an appointment to speak to your daughter another time.” I went to the door, opened it, and said, “Good evening.” I added, “Happy Father’s Day.”
He stepped quickly out the door, then stopped, turned, and in a quiet voice said, “Think, too, of your children.”
That was his last ace, and he’d played it, so I had to reply, “Have your trust attorney call me on that.”
He went off to find Charlotte, who was definitely not in the kitchen scrubbing pots.
I closed the door, and a few minutes later I heard Susan, Charlotte, and William speaking softly in the foyer. Then the front door opened and closed.
A few seconds later, the office door opened and Susan stepped inside. She said, “Should I even ask how it went?”
I looked at her, and I really wanted to tell her that her father was everything I’d always said he was, and more, but that was not really the issue. I said to her, “Well, some good news and some bad news.”
“What is the good news?”
“The good news is that your father offered me one million two hundred thousand dollars to go back to London.”
“What? He did what ?”
“I just told you.”
She stood there, stunned, I think. Then she looked at me and asked, “What did you tell-? Well, I don’t have to ask that.”
“Of course not. I told him no. I want two million. And that’s the bad news. He won’t budge from a million two hundred thousand.”
She realized I was being facetious, though she wasn’t sure if this was so funny.
She sat on the couch and stared into space, then finally said, “That is outrageous. That is… despicable.”
“I thought so, too. I mean, you’re worth a quarter million a year – oh, that’s the other bad news. If you marry me, you’re cut off.”
She looked at me, nodded, and said, “I don’t care.”
“It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t. You’ve been a bad girl, and your allowance is cut off. Or will be. Also your inheritance.”
Finally, she started to absorb all of this and said to me, “Couldn’t you reason with him?”
“No.” I asked her, “Do you want a drink?”
“No.”
“Well, I do.” I poured myself some brandy, and Susan changed her mind, so I made it two.
We didn’t have anything to toast, so we sipped.
Finally, she said to me, “My mother was… well, telling me why I shouldn’t marry you.
“Indeed, we will. But you and your wife will leave this house now and make an appointment to speak to your daughter another time.” I went to the door, opened it, and said, “Good evening.” I added, “Happy Father’s Day.”
He stepped quickly out the door, then stopped, turned, and in a quiet voice said, “Think, too, of your children.”
That was his last ace, and he’d played it, so I had to reply, “Have your trust attorney call me on that.”
He went off to find Charlotte, who was definitely not in the kitchen scrubbing pots.
I closed the door, and a few minutes later I heard Susan, Charlotte, and William speaking softly in the foyer. Then the front door opened and closed.
A few seconds later, the office door opened and Susan stepped inside. She said, “Should I even ask how it went?”
I looked at her, and I really wanted to tell her that her father was everything I’d always said he was, and more, but that was not really the issue. I said to her, “Well, some good news and some bad news.”
“What is the good news?”
“The good news is that your father offered me one million two hundred thousand dollars to go back to London.”
“What? He did what ?”
“I just told you.”
She stood there, stunned, I think. Then she looked at me and asked, “What did you tell-? Well, I don’t have to ask that.”
“Of course not. I told him no. I want two million. And that’s the bad news. He won’t budge from a million two hundred thousand.”
She realized I was being facetious, though she wasn’t sure if this was so funny.
She sat on the couch and stared into space, then finally said, “That is outrageous. That is… despicable.”
“I thought so, too. I mean, you’re worth a quarter million a year – oh, that’s the other bad news. If you marry me, you’re cut off.”
She looked at me, nodded, and said, “I don’t care.”
“It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t. You’ve been a bad girl, and your allowance is cut off. Or will be. Also your inheritance.”
Finally, she started to absorb all of this and said to me, “Couldn’t you reason with him?”
“No.” I asked her, “Do you want a drink?”
“No.”
“Well, I do.” I poured myself some brandy, and Susan changed her mind, so I made it two.
We didn’t have anything to toast, so we sipped.
Finally, she said to me, “My mother was… well, telling me why I shouldn’t marry you.