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The doctor, when pressed on the matter, said that his patient might probably live a week, not improbably a fortnight, perhaps a month, if he would be obedient, and so forth. Gogram went away without seeing Kate; and Kate, who looked upon a will as an awful and somewhat tedious ceremony, was in doubt whether her grandfather would live to complete any new operation.
"I'm told that you have got my grandfather's will," George said to the attorney as soon as he saw him. "I have it in my pocket," said Mr Gogram, "and purpose to read it as soon as we return from church." "Is it usual to take a will away from a man's house in that way?" George asked. "Quite usual," said the attorney; "and in this case it was done at the express desire of the testator."
The attorney followed him, and John Vavasor closed the door behind them. Had any observer been there to watch them he might have seen by the faces of the two latter that they expected an unpleasant meeting. Mr Gogram, as he had walked across the hall, had pulled a document out of his pocket, and held it in his hand as he took a chair.
"I believe that that paper purports to be an instrument by which I should be villanously defrauded if it were allowed to be held as good. Therefore I protest against it now, and shall question it at law if action be taken on it. You can read it now, if you please." "Oh, yes, I shall read," said Mr Gogram; "and I say that it is as valid a will as ever a man signed." "And I say it's not.
"Exactly. You told him that. And what did he say?" "He was very angry, and made me send for Mr Gogram." "Now, Kate, think a little before you answer me again. If ever you are to do me a good turn, you must do it now. And remember this, I don't at all want to take anything away from you. Whatever you think is fair you shall have." He was a fool not to have known her better than that.
As soon as Mr Gogram had been there she would write her letters, and they should be sent over to Shap early on the following morning. Mr Gogram came and was closeted with the Squire, and the doctor also came. The doctor saw Kate, and, shaking his head, told her that her grandfather was sinking lower and lower every hour.
"You're the biggest idiot that ever I heard of, and you'll know it yourself some day. Go away now, and let me know when Gogram comes." She went away, and for a time employed herself about her ordinary household work. Then she sat down alone in the dingy old dining-room, to think what had better be done in her present circumstances.
There was the doctor and Gogram, and the uncle and the nephew, to follow the corpse, the nephew taking upon himself ostentatiously the foremost place, as though he could thereby help to maintain his pretensions as heir.
When are they going to bury him?" "On Saturday, the day after to-morrow." "Why couldn't they do it to-morrow, so that we could get away before Sunday?" "He only died on Monday, George," said Kate, solemnly. "Psha! Who has got the will?" "Mr Gogram. He was here yesterday, and told me to tell you and uncle John that he would have it with him when he came back from the funeral."
"I know you are a fool," he said, "about all matters of business; more of a fool than even women generally are." To this Kate acceded with a little smile, acknowledging that her understanding was limited. "I want to see Gogram," he said. "Do you write to him a line, telling him to come here to-day, he or one of his men, and send it at once by Peter."
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