Endless Night / Бесконечная ночь. Книга для чтения на английском языке

But after that – after that, it’ll be different.’

�Why will it be different after that?’

�I shall be able to do what I like then.’

�With Greta’s help as usual?’ I said.

It used to make Ellie laugh the way I talked about Greta. She’d say, �You’re so silly to be jealous of her. One day you must meet her. You’ll like her.’

�I don’t like bossy girls,’ I said obstinately.

�Why do you think she’s bossy?’

�By the way you talk about her. She’s always busy arranging something.

�She’s very efficient,’ said Ellie. �She arranges things very well. That’s why my stepmother relies on her so much.’

I asked what her Uncle Frank was like.

She said, �I don’t know him really so very well. He was my father’s sister’s husband, not a real relation. I think he’s always been rather a rolling stone and got into trouble once or twice. You know the way people talk about someone and sort of hint things.

�Not socially acceptable?’ I asked. �Bad lot?’

�Oh, nothing really bad I think, but he used to get into scrapes, I believe. Financial ones. And trustees and lawyers and people used to have to get him out of them. Pay up for things.’

�That’s it,’ I said. �He’s the bad hat of the family. I expect I’d get on better with him than I would with the paragon Greta.’

�He can make himself very agreeable when he likes,’ said Ellie. �He’s good company.

�But you don’t really like him?’ I asked sharply.

�I think I do… It’s just that sometimes, oh I can’t explain it. I just feel I don’t know what he’s thinking or planning.’

�One of our planners, is he?’

�I don’t know what he’s really like,’ said Ellie again.

She didn’t ever suggest that I should meet any of her family. I wondered sometimes if I ought to say something about it myself. I didn’t know how she felt about the subject.

�Look here, Ellie,’ I said, �do you think I ought to – meet your family or would you rather I didn’t?’

�I don’t want you to meet them,’ she said at once.

�I know I’m not much —’ I said.

�I don’t mean it that way, not a bit! I mean they’d make a fuss. I can’t stand a fuss.’

�I sometimes feel,’ I said, �that this is rather a hole and corner business.