The Kilternan Legacy by Anne McCaffrey Read Free Book Online

the stage. My thoughts were, as usual, painfully obvious.
    Mr. Noonan leaned toward me. “Now, not to worry, Mrs. Teasey. Your position is secure.”
    “It isn’t her position that worries Mother,” said Snow in her most protective manner. “We’ve just got her through a very messy divorce scene, and she doesn’t need the greedy-relatives bit.”
    Mr. Noonan eyed my outspoken daughter with, I thought, more approval than prejudice.
    “I think you’ve no cause for worry.”
    I heard, as clear as his spoken words, the tag “not yet.”
    He cleared his throat. “Now, how did you encounter Shay Kerrigan?”
    “Trying to get a bulldozer up the lane.”
    “Oh. He did try.”
    “You knew he would?”
    “Might. He was rather anxious to get in touch with the heir. My letter to you about his offer must have crossed your coming. I had arranged with one of the residents on the lane—”
    “Mr. Thornton?”
    “Naturally, you’ve had the chance to meet him, too.”
    “Oh yes, he actually stopped the bulldozer this morning. I just seconded it.”
    “And you landed here yesterday at noontime? Well!”
    “I don’t usually operate at such a high level, Mr. Noonan,” I felt obliged to say, and then saw that he was more amused than critical.
    “Mr. Thornton showed us around the estate,” Snow said, mimicking the accent. She went on, in one of her maliciously guileless moods, “He had a shotgun.” I stared appreciatively at my daughter, and so did her brother. (Create the Image?) “But it was Mother who made the guy take that thing back down. You should’ve seen what it did to the lane.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that Shay Kerrigan would try that.” Mr. Noonan was annoyed. He had the intense look of a man swearing silently.
    “He came later … in person,” Snow said brightly. “To apologize.”
    “Be quiet, dear,” I said to her, and meant it. “I did have the right to refuse him the use, didn’t I? He gave me some nonsense about having applied to a relative for permission.”
    “What?” Mr. Noonan was now furious. “Who?”
    “He wouldn’t say. But maybe I can find out at dinner tonight. He’s taking”—I paused and then indicated the twins—“us.”
    Noonan was sharp, and his laughing eyes applauded my stratagem.
    “If you can find out which relative it was, it might be helpful later.”
    “You mean, there may be litigation about this?”
    “That’s possible, Mrs. Teasey. As I said, your great-aunt’s little queendom is now quite valuable. Where pounds and pence are concerned, blood has a tendency to curdle.”
    I groaned. I wasn’t certain that I was up to more nasty court proceedings and complaints and countercharges. Not twice in one year!
    “You can, of course, sell out as soon as the will is probated.”
    His expression plainly told me that he’d be disappointed if I chose that course.
    “Your great-aunt rather hoped that you’d like to take your time about selling—if that was your final decision.”
    The letter from Great-aunt Irene burned in my hand. I was both reluctant and eager to open it.
    “Mr. Noonan? About my great-aunt … Did she … I mean … she didn’t linger or go without anything?”
    He shook his head. “No. The final stroke was quick. She’d had one last December. Thornton found her and rushed her to hospital. Saved her life. She’d pretty well recovered by March, and was getting around much as usual when she’d the second stroke. That disabled her completely, and a week later the third one took her life. She was a delightful person,” and Mr. Noonan’s smile was that of regret.
    “You liked her,” said Snow.
    “Yes, Miss Stanford, I liked her very much. She was a most unusual woman.”
    Then he turned his keen eyes on me. “I know substantially what’s in that letter, Mrs. Teasey. I hope that you’ll find it agreeable to you, and possible, but I am required to advise you that you are in no way legally constrained to follow those instructions. As