The Blind Side Read Free Page A

stay and just sail away with him into the blue, so I walked out too, and here I am.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œVictoria Station. Don’t get rattled, darling—nothing has happened, and nothing is going to happen. But listen. Can I have the key of Cousin Mary’s flat and stay there for a bit while I look round for something to bring in the shekels, because this has just about cleaned me out and it won’t run to digs.”
    Miss Lucy felt, and sounded, completely distracted.
    â€œOh, my dear! How very, very unfortunate! And I’ve paid for my tickets, or I might have been able—Oh dear, I wish I weren’t going away, but Mary made me promise—you know how unselfish she was, and she thought it would take my mind off. She’d been an invalid so long, and of course that is always a strain, and she made me promise that as soon as I could after the funeral I would go right away—and when Peter told me about this cruise—”
    â€œI know. Dear Cousin Lucy, do listen. I should hate you not to go for your cruise.”
    â€œShe made me promise,” said Miss Lucy with a sob. “But I don’t really feel I ought to go, because—oh, my dear, you know Ross is turning me out.”
    It was Lee’s turn to gasp. She said, “No!” and Miss Lucy said, “Oh, he is!” and gave another and a much louder sob.
    â€œRoss Craddock is turning you out? Cousin Lucy, he can’t! ”
    â€œHe says he can. He says there was nothing in the will. He says he wouldn’t turn Mary out, but now she’s gone he wants to throw the three flats into one, and he says I’m quite able-bodied. He says I’ve got to go. I got the letter this morning.”
    Lee stamped her foot so hard that she jarred the line.
    â€œWhat a swine!” she said, and shocked Miss Lucy a good deal.
    â€œOh, my dear, I don’t think—”
    â€œWell, I do! What put him up to it?”
    Miss Lucy’s voice trembled.
    â€œHe says he wants the whole floor to himself—dear Mary’s flat, and his, and mine—and to throw them all into one. He says he wants more room. But I think it’s because I spoke to him about Mavis—I do indeed. He was so angry, and told me to mind my own business, but after all she is my niece, and I told him it wasn’t right and he was getting her talked about. And this morning I got his letter—such a horrible, cruel letter—”
    Lee said, “Swine!” again, then added hastily, “What an ass Mavis is!”
    â€œOh, my dear!”
    â€œShe always was. But Ross Craddock—what on earths—she can’t like him!”
    â€œOh, I don’t know—he is a very handsome man. I feel I oughtn’t to go away, but I promised Mary—”
    â€œOf course you must go.”
    Miss Lucy sniffed.
    â€œTo stay here and keep on meeting Ross in the lift and on the stairs—I feel I really can’t! I feel as if I should do something before, and it’s so very uncomfortable. It’s not just because he wants to turn me out. There’s Mavis—she’s so young—and there are reasons—” Miss Lucy became very much agitated. “I have got quite a desperate feeling—I have indeed. And Peter says it would be better for me to go away.”
    â€œMuch better,” said Lee firmly. “And look here, darling, let’s get down to brass tacks. Can I have Cousin Mary’s flat?”
    Miss Lucy’s agitation became less tearful. She said in a flustered voice,
    â€œOh, no, dear, you can’t—Peter’s there.”
    â€œPeter? Living there?”
    â€œYes, dear. He is the executor. He is going through all the papers. Dear Mary never destroyed anything. There are boxes and boxes and boxes of them.”
    â€œBother! Then that’s a wash-out. Well, what about your flat? That’s a bright thought, isn’t it? I’ll keep it aired