Wakefield, who was to draw up the
agreement; but the final disposal of the sum was not to be promised,
but to depend on Mrs. Brownlow's will.
Such a present boon as ?500 had made Hermann willing to agree to
anything. Bobus had seen the lawyer in London, and with him
concocted the agreement for signature, making the payments pass
through the Wakefield office, the receipts being signed by Janet
Hermann herself.
"Why must all payments go through the office?" asked Caroline.
"Because there's no trusting that slippery Greek," said Bobus.
"I should have liked my poor Janet to have been forced to communicate
with me every half-year," she sighed.
"What, when she has never chosen to write all this time?"
"Yes. It is very weak, but I can't help it. It would be something
only to see her name. I have never known where to write to her, or
I would have done so."
"O, very well," said Bobus, "you had better invite them both to share
the menage in Collingwood Street."
"For shame, Bobus," said Jock. "You have no right to say such
things."
"Only that all this might as well have been left undone if my mother
is to rush on them to ask their pardon and beg them to receive her
with open arms. I mean, mother," he added with a different manner,
"if you give one inch to that Greek, he will make it a mile, and as
to Janet, if she can't bring down her pride to write to you like a
daughter, I wouldn't give a rap for her receipt, and it might lead to
intolerable pestering.
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