“But—”
He held up a hand. “I must,” he said. “There are four of us, Anna. There would be no fairness about my ending up with more than anyone else just because I am male.”
“But it is—”
“Harry is right,” Avery said, getting to his feet and strolling toward Anna. “It is you, my love, who have always talked of fairness.”
“But I do not—”
“I think you must demand a hundred pounds for the property,” he said.
“One hundred pounds?”Harry said. “That is ajoke, Avery.”
“Too much?” Avery said. “Seventy-five pounds, then. No, make that guineas.”
“I amseriousabout this,” Harry protested. “I wish you had stayed—”
“Sixtyguineas,” Anna said loudly and distinctly. “And that is my final word.”
“Anna—”
“Myfinal word,” she said.
Avery tapped her cheek with one finger and strolled back to sit on the same chair in the back row.
“Anna.” Harry drew a deep breath and let it go on a sigh. “This is really not about money at all, you know. I live very well as I am and can continue to do so even wh— Even if I marry. It is just that I want to set things right with you. You are my sister. Just as Cam is and Abby. I want to be your brother. I mean … I always have been. But …”
She came hurrying across the distance between them then and walked into the arms he held open. They closed about her, and he shut his eyes.
They stood thus for a silent minute or two.
“If only Cam and Abby would—” he began, but she raised her head from his shoulder and pressed two fingers to his lips.
“They both have,” she said. “They came to me separately. And now you. And Aunt Viola has had her dowry back with all the interest that would have accrued on it in the years of her supposed marriage to our father.”
Harry had not known any of that.
“And now I am complete,” Anna said, her head still tipped back to look into his face. It beamed with what looked to Harry like real happiness. “My family is whole. And is about …” She turned her head to look back at Avery. “May I tell him?”
“I would imagine, my love,” he said, “that soon the whole world will know without having to be told.”
“We are expecting another child,” she told Harry. “Perhapsthistime Avery will get his spare to go with Jonah.”
Avery was strolling toward them.
“I already have a trio of girls to torment my every waking moment,” he said with a sigh. “If I have to suffer a quartet, I shall probably do it with my usual cheerful acceptance of what cannot be changed.”
Harry hugged his sister with one arm and laughed as he held out a hand to shake his brother-in-law’s. “Congratulations,” he said. “I shall hope for another nephew, then, but be prepared to welcome another niece if I must.”
“Must you really go to London tomorrow, Harry?” Anna asked. He had mentioned at dinner that he was going, to a great deal of puzzled protest. His grandmother Westcott had commented rather caustically that it was deliberately contrary of him to go there now when they were allhere— and all for the sake of buying a newshirt.He had merely smiled and assured her that he would be back before dinner on Wednesday evening.
Avery was looking keenly at him from beneath his usual lazy eyelids. “You cannot find any decent shirts in Eastend, Harry?” he asked.
“Oh, good Lord, no,” Harry said. “Not for evening wear, anyway. Not for my birthday ball, perish the thought, with all the family present and other guests too.”
“Quite so,” Avery said. “And I suppose there are one or two other items you need that can be purchased only in London.”
“Yes,” Harry said. “It is a bit of a nuisance to have to dash up there when the house is full of guests. But it should not take me long. I will leave early in the morning and be away just one night.”
