The lawyer could not help a furtive smile at the humility of the tone.
"You've got to put that gel back in my will." It was a pretty stiff dose now that it had to be swallowed and a fierce frown did not conceal its nature. "And I want you to believe, Mossop,"--there was an odd earnestness in the deep voice--"that I had made up my mind to do it long before this--this damnable Serbian business happened."
The lawyer assured Mr. Munt that he was convinced of that.
"Serves me right, though, for delaying. Mossop, I'm annoyed with myself. It has the look of a force-put now, but I as I say----"
The lawyer nodded a nice appreciation of the circumstances.
"And while I'm about it, I've made up my mind to put Melia, my eldest girl, back as well."
The lawyer gave a little sigh of satisfaction.
"My three gels are now going to share alike. But you must provide six thousand pounds for Gertrude Preston."
The lawyer penciled a brief note on his blotting pad.
"As you know, Mossop, I've made a goodish bit, one way and another, since this war began. Those girls ought to be very well off. And you know, of course, that we are takin' in the next house for my hospital along The Rise. It'll give us another twenty beds--making forty in all."
The lawyer said in his level voice that he understood that to be the Mayor's intention when he had negotiated the purchase with Mr. Harvey Mortimore.
"We bought that property very well, eh? Not going to get less in value."
"I'm now considering the question of making it over permanently to the Corporation. Wouldn't make a bad nest egg for the city, eh?"
"Anyhow, I'm arranging with the Duke to come over on the twenty-sixth of January to open the new annex. And in the meantime we'll think about giving it to the city as an orphanage or a cottage hospital."
The next morning Josiah paid a visit to Love Lane. The business of Sally had taught him a lesson. Events moved so quickly in these crowded days that it might not be wise to postpone a reconciliation with Melia.
So busy had the Mayor been since his return from Bridlington at the end of August that he had not found time to visit his eldest daughter, nor had she been to Strathfieldsaye since her first somewhat uncomfortable appearance there. She was still inclined to be much on her dignity. Women who lead lonely lives in oppressive surroundings are not easily able to forget the past. The olive branch had been offered already; but it was by no means certain that Melia intended to accept her father's overtures.