Free The Kilternan Legacy by Anne McCaffrey Page B

will. “… And her letter of specific instruction, which I intend to follow to the spirit and law.” Well, he didn’t know about any letter, that was certain. “Now, if you do not leave my premises I shall be forced to get the shotgun for which I obtained a license from the Cabinteely Gardai yesterday.” That really shook him, and he backed out of the doorway and the small porch.
    “You’ll be sorry you turned that offer down, miss.”
    I slammed the door behind him, and while Simon was shaking the clasped hands of victory above his head, we heard the choleric Mr. Kelley starting his car.
    “Mom, you were great!” Snow said, chortling with pleasure.
    “Who does he think he is, threatening you? Could he really hold up probate, Mom?” Simon wasn’t the least bit upset about that prospect.
    “Don’t know and I don’t care, but I’ll ask Mr. Noonan,” I said, inordinately pleased that I had actually outfaced a man.
    “Among other things, you’d better get that license today,” Snow said, then sighed. “If only you’d stood up to Dad like that once in a while …”
    “It would only have delayed matters,” Simon said, glaring angrily at his sister. “Besides, Dad would have made Mother sell Kelley this place for sixty-five thousand bucks!”
    “Oh no!” Snow didn’t fancy that alternative.
    My sudden triumph turned to doubt. “Do
you
think I did the right thing?”
    “About Kelley?” Simon’s outraged response answered the wrong question. “Oh …” and then he realized what I had meant and put both arms awkwardly but sweetly about me. My, he was getting tall. I had to look up at him. “Mother, you did exactly the right thing. With Kelley and with Dad. Sara and I have no regrets. None!” His serious face was suddenly split by an inimitably Simonesque grin. “Hell, Dad had no real use for us except to show off ‘his twins’ or prove his authority by snapping his fingers and having us, and you, waiting on him hand and foot. And I will
never
forgive him for that night in December—”
    “Simon!” Snow’s voice was sharp and scared.
    I’d known that something had happened to the children the night they’d gone with their father to the Harrisons’ party, but they’d never talked about it. I’d been flat on my back with one of those sudden, terribly debilitating stomach viruses. Teddie’d been furious with me because he’d wanted to go to the Harrisons’ “do”; they always “did” so extravagantly. I knew he hated going to parties alone, as he was at his best scoring off a foil—like me. In desperation, and because the Harrisons had a daughter the twins’ age, I suggested that he take the children. They’d come home about midnight: I’d been listening for their return, but they’d whispered in the hall outside my room without coming in. Which was unusual in itself, but I’d chalked it up that night to their concern about my health. I didn’t know until much later that Teddie hadn’t brought them home. Indeed, I didn’t learn until after I’d initiated divorce proceedings that Teddie’d been put to bed at the Harrisons’ stoned out of his mind, and was never invited there again. Something devastating had indeed happened, which the children were determined to keep from me.
    Now Simon’s face softened, and he patted me on the shoulder.
    “No, Mother dearest of them all, you did the right thing.
We’re
not sorry. You’re a real tough mother!” And he kissed me.
    “And I’m starved!” Snow said, as if Simon’s overt show of affection irritated her. She was the less-demonstrative child. Now she marched toward the kitchen.
    “Say, who does that Kelley character think he is,” asked Snow into a pause at the breakfast table. “This place is worth a lot more than any old twenty-five thousand pounds.”
    “Did Kelley mean just the house, Mom? Because it would be a pretty good price that way.”
    “No, Simon, he meant the whole property.”
    Simon considered that