"I shall remember what you have said, David."

Passing him, she went out of the window.

He wondered why he felt so strongly that the words had been a threat.

Rosaleen was crying.

"Oh, David, David - you oughtn't to have been saying those things to her. She's the one of them that's been the nicest to me."

He said furiously: "Shut up, you little fool. Do you want them to trample all over you and bleed you of every penny?"

"But the money - if - if it isn't rightfully mine -"

She quailed before his glance.

"I - I didn't mean that, David."

"I should hope not."

Conscience, he thought, was the devil!

He hadn't reckoned with the item of Rosaleen's conscience. It was going to make things awkward in the future.

The future? He frowned as he looked at her and let his thoughts race ahead. Rosaleen's future... His own... He'd always known what he wanted... he knew now... But Rosaleen? What future was there for Rosaleen?

As his face darkened, she cried out - suddenly shivering:

"Oh! Someone's walking over my grave."

He said, looking at her curiously:

"So you realise it may come to that?"

"What do you mean, David?"

"I mean that five - six - seven people have every intention to hurry you into your grave before you're due there!"

"You don't mean - murder -" Her voice was horrified. "You think these people would do murder - not nice people like the Cloades."

"I'm not sure that it isn't just nice people like the Cloades who do do murder. But they won't succeed in murdering you while I'm here to look after you. They'd have to get me out of the way first. But if they did get me out of the way - well - look out for yourself!"

"David - don't say such awful things."

"Listen," he gripped her arm. "If ever I'm not here, look after yourself, Rosaleen. Life isn't safe, remember - it's dangerous, damned dangerous. And I've an idea it's specially dangerous for you."

Chapter 7

"Rowley, can you let me have five hundred pounds?"

Rowley stared at Lynn. She stood there, out of breath from running, her face pale, her mouth set.

He said soothingly and rather as he would speak to a horse:

"There, there, ease up, old girl. What's all this about?"

"I want five hundred pounds."

"I could do with it myself, for that matter."

"But Rowley, this is serious. Can't you lend me five hundred pounds?"

"I'm overdrawn as it is. That new tractor -"

"Yes, yes -" She pushed aside the farming details. "But you could raise money somehow - if you had to, couldn't you?"

"What do you want it for, Lynn? Are you in some kind of a hole?"

"I want it for him -" She jerked her head backwards towards the big square house on the hill.

"Hunter? Why on earth -"

"It's Mums. She's been borrowing from him. She's - she's in a bit of a jam about money."