A Million Tears (44 page)

‘Not really. Oh, at one time sure but not now. I don’t really know her. But I’m going to enjoy finding out. She’s a nice girl. She might not have been to university but she’s read a lot. Stuff like Voltaire, Dickens, all of Twain. She really is fun to talk to. And that voice of hers, with just a twinge of accent even after all this time in the States.’

‘Like yours, you mean.’

‘Only German not Welsh, fool,’ he joked.

Many of the guests had left by this time, only a few stragglers remaining. At last even they had gone and Meg and Evan came across to join their sons.

‘Did you enjoy yourselves?’ Evan asked them. They both nodded.

‘It was easy to forget why they were all here,’ Meg said sadly. ‘I kept looking around expecting Uncle James to appear and say something funny or . . . or . . . Oh hell. He’d really have enjoyed himself tonight.’

‘True,’ Evan put his arm around her. ‘Dave, pour me a beer will you?’

‘We’ll all miss him,’ David said softly, filling a glass for his father. ‘He was a really great person. He was always so happy. Even when his rheumatism was playing him up he rarely grumbled.’

‘I’m going to miss having him around the house,’ said Meg. ‘He was always helping with something, or suddenly getting out the buggy and going into town to buy a book or two.’

‘Don’t forget boys we have to attend the will reading tomorrow at John Driscole’s office,’ said Evan.

Driscole was both the family and business lawyer, though frequently Evan could tell Driscole more about corporation and company law than the lawyer could tell Evan. It wasn’t that Driscole was not a good lawyer, it was just that the laws were so complex and specialised that it was impossible for him to know it all.

‘I suppose we must,’ said Sion, not wanting to go.

‘We’re all asked for specifically, though that’s hardly surprising under the circumstances,’ said Evan. ‘It’s at ten o’clock and as that’s only,’ he looked at his watch, ‘five and a half hours away I suggest we go to bed.’ They nodded in agreement and the boys followed their parents across the grass to the backdoor.

The next morning Evan went in to wake up Sion, having had only limited success with Meg and David.

‘Come on, bach,’ Evan shook his shoulder. ‘It’s time to get up.’

Sion groaned and turned over. A second later he was asleep again. He woke up to find himself on the floor. He looked up to see his father grinning down at him. He groaned, ran his hand through his hair and lay back down, looking as though he intended going back to sleep.

They arrived at the lawyer’s fifteen minutes late. His secretary showed them into Driscole’s well furnished, wood-panelled and book-lined office. Driscole was a dapper little man, in his early sixties, with a head of grey hair and thick spectacles perched on the end of his nose.

‘Ah, Evan, you’re late,’ he said standing and shaking Evan’s hand. ‘Hullo, Meg,’ he took her hand and shook it before greeting the boys.

‘Believe me, I had the devil’s own job getting them here at this time, after last night,’ Evan said.

‘Had a good time? Sorry we couldn’t make it, but Deidre has her usual summer cold and keeps sneezing all the time. Supposed to be something to do with the pollen in the air but I reckon she’s been in a draught again. Probably too early into her summer frocks, I reckon. Sit down, sit down.’ He pushed the pile of papers on his desk to one side and then remembered the will was amongst them. He went through each paper one by one. The others sat, patient and quiet, subdued by the occasion.

Driscole gave a satisfied grunt and pulled out the relevant document. He cleared his throat and said: ‘I’ll ignore all the technical jargon about sound mind and all that. Ah, here we are. I give to Sion my penknife, the one for getting stones out of horses hooves,’ Driscole looked up and peered at Sion short sightedly in spite of his thick glasses. ‘He insisted on that, said it would mean something to you.’

‘He says here, Evan, that the rest of his belongings are left to you though there is very little of value. He asks that you give his clothes to the Salvation Army to do with as they please. And that leaves his shares.’

‘What shares?’ asked Evan.

Driscole smiled. ‘He said when I was preparing this will for him that you’d say that. As you are fully aware he didn’t really have anything to spend his money on and the income he was getting from the business was, in his words, too much for him. I, in fact, recommended that he invest in some stocks and shares. He did so, successfully. The bulk of them are left to you Evan and to you Meg. He says here, ‘I don’t want to make it too easy for the boys, it’ll do them good to have to earn their money and though I love them as if they were my own I leave them only ten percent each of whatever the shares are worth, for them to keep or sell as they wish.

‘That’s about it, you can take this away with you and read it later. There are a few personal messages which are better read in private. The shares, by the way, are in rail, coal and gold mining. The value as of yesterday is,’ he paused to rummage around his desk for a writing pad, ‘let me see. Yes, here we are. Eh, a hundred and thirty five thousand, four hundred and seventy six dollars, and some cents.’

They all gasped. ‘So much?’ Evan asked incredulously. ‘But that’s impossible.’

‘Under normal circumstances I’d agree with you, and in fact most of the value is in some of the coal shares. He took a gamble about a year ago and bought into a new company who reckoned there was coal out Nevada way. They were right, and are doing very well. They’ve got their offices in San Francisco I believe. The bank here has a stake in it as well and know more about them. You can check with them if you want further details. Anyway, that’s about it, Evan. I know it’s barely a quarter past eleven but can I offer you a sherry or a coffee? I usually do after such an occasion.’

‘No, neither thanks, John,’ replied Evan, still bemused. They shook hands with Driscole and left.

‘I’m nearly a millionaire already,’ said Sion as Evan turned the buggy and started home. ‘That’s over thirteen thousand dollars. What am I going to do with it?’

‘You could spend it,’ David suggested, still trying to come to terms with such sudden wealth.

‘You’ll do no such thing,’ Meg replied sharply. ‘You can either invest it further or leave it alone. Neither of you are to touch it until you finish your education.’

‘Sorry, Mam,’ David said unexpectedly. ‘But Uncle James said I could do what I liked with the money. And I’ve got one or two ideas I just might try out.’

‘He’s right, Meg,’ said Evan. ‘It’s their money and they can do with it as they please. I don’t think Uncle James realised how much there was, otherwise he wouldn’t have left them so much. Listen, you two, all I’ll say is don’t waste it. Sure, go and spend some of it and enjoy yourselves but . . . well, don’t waste it. If you decide to go into business for yourselves one day you’ve got just the start you’ll need.’

After they arrived home Evan went with Meg into the study to read the will while the two brothers went to help the women cleaning up after the party.

‘What time are you meeting Gunhild?’ Sion asked.

‘Half past three. Can I borrow Thunderbolt? She’s meeting me half way in her father’s buggy, so I don’t really want to take a buggy as well. And Dad will be using it anyway, along with his two nags. I don’t suppose he’s learnt to ride yet?’

Sion chuckled. ‘Not since he fell off that time. Do you remember?’

‘Do I ever. Mam was going frantic until she found he hadn’t hurt himself and then she collapsed with laughter.’

‘Mind you, she can’t talk. She refuses to even try. I suppose,’ said Sion standing with his hands on his hips, surveying the seven women and Marie their cleaning lady, carrying glasses and bottles back to the house, ‘we’d better take the tables and put them in the big shed. After that I think I’m going to bed for a few hours.’

‘What are you going to do with all that money?’ David asked Sion.

‘I don’t know, and that’s a fact. I guess I’ll finish my education and then go and see a bit of the world. I’d like to see about this flying business. I might get into that,’ he paused. ‘What about you?’

‘I’m definitely going to visit Wales sometime, just to see how everybody is getting on. That’d be something, hey? Arriving like royalty? Pretending to be really rich. God, think what that’d do to them all at Llanbeddas.’ He gave a half laugh, half snort. ‘Well perhaps not. I’d just go and see the family. Come on, give me a hand.’

Sion said unexpectedly, ‘Tell me something. Do you ever think about Sian and what it would be like if she was alive?’

‘Sometimes, but not all that often. I find it impossible to remember what she was really like. I can remember odd incidents and things but I can’t see her somehow. Do you know what I mean?’

‘Only too well. I think of her from time to time but I have the same problem. I just can’t picture her properly. I feel I ought to be able to, but I can’t. I bet she’d be beautiful if she was here now.’

‘Heck, we’d be going frantic trying to keep all the boys away. This is morbid. I’m going to saddle Thunderbolt. See you later.’

‘Are you going to do some of that school work I gave you?’ Meg asked Sion.

‘No, Mam. I’m going to read that last book Uncle James gave me – Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. One of the boys at school’s read it and said it’s very good.’ And anyway he thought, I’m not going to do anymore of those lessons Mam. I’ve had enough. I’ve just got to put it off a bit longer and I’ll be away to university. Not that I didn’t appreciate your help, I did. It’s just there’s no need now, but I won’t hurt you by telling you.

The summer went past in a rush, until it was time for Sion to leave. David had already left for Harvard to study for his master’s degree. Now it was Sion’s turn. He would study for a general degree for the next three years. After that, he hoped to follow his brother to Harvard, although in what subject he was unsure as yet.

Early in the morning of his last day, Sion wandered over to the stable and saddled Thunderbolt. He rode down to the river and sat for a while watching the water rushing past, lost in his childhood memories.

He had enjoyed his childhood and youth, of that there was no doubt. The swimming in the pool above St Louis, making the rafts to ride way down to the south and then the long walk home, usually wet. He was the only one from his class going to Church Hill, two others were going elsewhere but the remainder were going to work for their fathers or look for jobs, disdaining the thought of further education.

‘I wish Uncle James was coming with us tomorrow,’ he said to Thunderbolt, the horse’s ears flicking at the sound of Sion’s voice.

‘What about you my beauty? Who’s going to run you; to stop you getting fat and lazy? Not that you aren’t lazy enough as it is. Perhaps Dad can arrange with Sonny or one of the men to ride you while I’m away, eh?’ He heard the hoot of a river boat and looked up to see it sweeping majestically into view. He could never see one without feeling a longing for travel and adventure, for exotic lands and wild places.

One day, he promised himself, one day. Reluctantly, the sun already hot on his back, he turned the horse and broke into a gallop for home and breakfast.

Meg heard him coming and, alarmed at the speed at which he was riding, rushed out to see what was wrong. Sion pulled up by the back porch, in a flurry of dust, smiling and swept off his hat.

‘Nice day, ma’am,’ he said.

Meg returned his beaming smile. ‘Flapjacks, eggs and beans are ready,’ she said, her hands on her hips. She thought to herself, young man you’re going to break a few hearts in your time. David, she had a sneaking feeling, was going to marry Gunhild and settle down. Maybe he’d take over the business from Evan and let Evan concentrate more on politics like he wanted to. Life was as perfect as it could be.

Sion pottered around the house all day. Meg stayed at home, helping him to pack. Meg also packed an overnight bag for herself and Evan.

That evening the three of them were in the study when Evan said to Sion, ‘You’ve left your dinner jacket out, haven’t you?’

‘Ready on my bed. I’m looking forward to this. It’ll be nice to have a decent meal,’ Sion said straight-faced.

‘I agree, son,’ Evan said, neither of them looking in Meg’s direction. She stared from one to the other, open-mouthed. Neither of them could keep a straight face and both burst out laughing. When she realised they were teasing her she smiled too, though not quite as broadly.

They left for the hotel a little after eight o’clock.

‘What you ought to buy, Dad,’ said Sion flicking the reigns and getting the horses moving, ‘is one of the new type of motorised horseless carriages made by that fellow Ford. He’s making quite a few of them nowadays.’

‘That’s all very well but I hear they frighten the horses and there are too many problems with them at present,’ said Evan. ‘You’ve got to get gasoline and there’s none around this area. They’re always breaking down and they’re dirty, oily and smelly. Mind you, I’m not saying they won’t catch on though I doubt if they’ll ever replace the horse and buggy entirely. But you never know. You just never know,’ he repeated.

They pulled up at the Lucky River Hotel where Evan had stayed when he first borrowed the twenty five thousand dollars from Andrew Z. Fforest. The hotel had recently been taken over by new management and was now reputed to serve the best food in St Louis.