Leon, who was old enough to appreciate the old, found himself turning to his Uncle Felix more than he had recently done. Always an adaptable man, Felix had wasted no time feeling sorry for himself when he was struck down but thanked the Lord he was left with some capacity to enjoy himself, although knowing the frustration of not being able to get about according to his own will and on his own legs. He rejected the suggestion of a wheeled chair. He had hated and pitied the sight of Benjamin Davis in his. So he decided that he would stay in his room. With Stella’s help he could dress and propel himself from bed to chair when he wanted to, but he generally preferred to remain in bed. If he could not walk and ride where he pleased, he could at least choose to rest comfortably.

Sarah came and went two or three times a day. Rachel paid him countless visits when his door was open. Penelope did not often come in, but she stopped at the door when she saw it open to enquire how he felt and if there was anything he wanted done that she could do. He liked Penelope well enough but never had much to say to her. “No, no, my dear cousin,” he would usually answer, although she was not his cousin; but that was the way of Southerners, to give a kinship word to someone close but not kin. Nell came to see him regularly, for which he was thankful, because her regularity let him know when she was pretty certain to be absent.

But now he had these slightly disquieting visits from Leon. He’d always loved the boy, and—oh, for a long time—they had been good companions, they with each other and both with Bonard. He sighed with pleasure at the memory of the times they’d had together, not all of them good, but all worth remembering. Now, however, Leon came and sat and talked and looked at his uncle as if he expected Felix to give him answers to questions he never quite put. Felix tried to guess what was in Leon’s mind and answer the unasked question rather than the vague ones posed. In matters having to do with the law or commercial affairs, Felix, was brisk and helpful. His physical incapacity had not blunted his mind’s ability to judge business matters.