‘With not enough money to keep it up, I fancy, unless the others sacrifice their shares for the reasons given.’
‘If she has any sense she’ll sell the house and live on the proceeds.’
‘Who would buy a great place like this, stuck down in the wilds of nowhere?’
‘Would you rather live at Seawards?’
‘No, I am glad to be back here with madre.’
‘Campions would be a better proposition for you, perhaps, if it didn’t knock out Rupert’s chances.’
‘I’ll thank you not to be impudent.’
‘No offence. I suppose you know that all the threats and prohibitions are not in the Will.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘She was ad-libbing as she read out the provisions.’
‘How do you know?’
‘Oh, she can’t keep her secrets from me.’
‘You are in her confidence to that extent?’
‘No. I am into her bureau to that extent, of course. I’ve seen the rough draft she sent to Monaker. There was nothing in it about divorces and where people were to live.’
‘Really, Ruby, you are incorrigible!’
‘In other words,’ said Ruby, as they stepped out of doors to walk over to the stables, ‘if she died tonight a lot of people would be happy. I suppose you know that Mattie has got her come-uppance?’
‘What has that to do with it?’
‘Until the abuela alters the Will or unless she does, Mattie gets the three horses.’
‘She didn’t mention that last night.’
‘She didn’t mention any of the bequests to the servants, but they are all down on paper.’
Mattie came out of the Lunns’ cottage and greeted them. ‘I’ve been turned out to grass,’ she said.
‘How do you mean?’ asked Fiona, although she knew perfectly well what Mattie intended to convey.
‘What I say. But she won’t get the better of me, I can promise you that. Redruth to look after the horses? He haven’t a clue. Cares for nowt but his old motor-car. And as for her sellin’ of ’em, I’ve talked her out of that.’
‘Do you mean you’re going to look after the horses without being paid?’ asked Ruby. ‘Dashed if I would!’
‘You aren’t me, Ruby.’
‘Miss Ruby, if you please.’
‘Oh, yes, Miss Ruby. You takes after your ma in that as in other matters, I reckon. She was never more than Miss, neither, as my understanding of it goes.’
Ruby stepped forward and smacked Mattie hard across the face. It caught the bridge of her nose as well, and blood appeared.
‘—you, you bloody little jumped-up snotty little—!’ said Mattie. With the edge of a man-hard hand she caught Ruby across the throat. Ruby gave a strangled yelp and fell sobbing upon the downland turf.
‘Oh, Mattie!’ said Fiona, stooping over the choking, sobbing girl. ‘Her throat! You shouldn’t have done that! You might ruin her voice.’
‘Take away her living, same as that old woman have tooken away mine?’ muttered Mattie, going towards the stables. By the time she returned, leading Brutus, Ruby was heading towards the house. Mattie, without a word, saw Fiona mounted and then went into her brother’s cottage. Fiona loosed Brutus into a canter towards where the formidable headland, brown and grey and purple-shadowed, reared up its menacing tip like the blunt-headed crest of some prehistoric monster about to fall upon and devour the tiny rocky island just beyond it.
Fiona dismounted, leaving the quiet gelding to graze. From the ledges below, a climbing figure in an impeding tweed skirt came up slowly by way of a track more suitable for goats than for human beings, reached the short grass at the top, heaved itself over and sat down to pant and rest.
‘Well, madre, you’re out early,’ said Fiona. ‘Ought you really to scramble about on the cliffs like that? It can’t be good for you, and you might easily tumble again.’
‘I didn’t tumble, and of course it’s good for me,’ said Romula, ‘and it’s perfectly safe so near the house. Besides, I don’t feel old while I can still do it. A grand view from here, I always think.’
‘Yes, better than the view from Smugglers.’
‘Didn’t Ruby go riding with you this morning?’
‘No. She and Mattie fell out.’
‘Oh? Why?’
‘I don’t really know. I think Ruby thought Mattie wasn’t respectful enough to her.’
‘Why should she be? They were at school together.’
‘Perhaps you have given Ruby an inflated idea of her own importance.’
‘She wants a flat in town. I’ve told her it’s out of the question. If a student’s hostel isn’t good enough for her she had better come home and study locally. What happened between the two of them?’
‘Nothing really. It was just a girlish set-to.’
‘Physical violence, you mean?’
‘Oh, nothing to signify. Unfortunately Ruby began it and Mattie retaliated. Ruby will give you her version when you get back, I expect.’
‘I’m leaving Mattie the horses if I don’t outlive them.’
‘I hope you will, madre.’
‘Give her the horses, or outlive them?’
‘Come, now, you know perfectly well what I meant.’
‘You walked yourself out of my house.’
‘And now I’ve walked myself in again.’
‘You will be dependent upon Maria for a home when I go.’
‘Have you left her anything with which to maintain me?’
‘ “Twere good she do so much for charity” ’ said Romula, with a sardonic chuckle.
‘I don’t want charity. I want my rights.’
‘And what do you suppose those are?’
‘You took me in and have cared for me. If Maria had not been widowed and so had not come back to you, would your provision for her have been different?’
‘You mean to ask whether, in such a case, Headlands would have been left to you?’
‘I have served you well.’
‘A paid employee would have been less expensive.’
‘I need to know where I stand. Are you really going to leave me nothing?’
‘Is that what you gathered at last night’s meeting?’
‘I was left with little alternative.’
‘Were you not? If you left me once, you may leave me again. Why should I continue to provide for you after my death?’
‘Because you have given me no chance to train for any kind of profession which would allow me to provide for myself.’
‘I needed your companionship. I shall no longer need it when I am in my grave.’
‘Would it have made any difference if I had not gone to live at Seawards?’
‘I shall not answer that. You may draw your own conclusions. I am not a vindictive woman.’
Fiona walked back to where her horse was cropping the grasses. Scrambling she mounted and turned the animal’s head towards home. At the stables she changed her mind. She turned from the headland and followed the narrow track away from the house and towards the village. At the turning she took the steep road which led to the National Trust property on which the rent-free Campions was enclosed in trees. To the frenzied yapping of Diana’s dachshunds she hitched the horse’s reins to the gatepost and shouted.
A maid came out from the back door and yelled at the dogs, who subsided.
‘Is Mrs Bosse-Leyden at home?’ asked Fiona.
‘No. Taken the car into Truro, miss.’
‘Mr Bosse-Leyden?’
‘Working. But you come in, Miss Bute, while I see if he’ll disturb himself to see you.’ She ushered the dogs into their wired enclosures and returned to the house. Fiona opened the gate and walked into the untidy garden. Rupert came out by the french windows which overlooked it. The pen with which he had been writing was still in his hand. He clipped it into his top pocket and took Fiona in his arms.
‘Is Fiona coming back here to live?’ said Gamaliel.
‘Only until Rupert and Diana have settled their affairs, if she comes at all,’ said Garnet, ‘and that will not be until after my grandmother’s death.’