Chapter 18 Chapter Eighteen

Beicui was concentrating on checking the mail of the day, and Aileen ran into the living room excitedly, saying, "She can ride now!" Beatrice looked up at her in surprise, her mind still on the emails. "Tell you, she can ride. Fifty yards well!" "That Miss Basler? Oh, congratulations! Eileen." "I never thought there would be a day when no one drank sherry?" "Bolai and I have already drank an unknown number of drinks in one morning, which is enough for a week." ''How's it going today, Bolai? ' asked Eileen, pouring herself a glass of wine.

"It's not as bad as I thought." Bo said, watching her dexterous hands pour the wine.These hands would not rest softly and suggestively in his. "Did Mr. Duke tell you how he got hurt?" "Mr. Duke went to the market," Beatrice said. "But we had Mrs. Duke's cream pie." "Mrs. Duke is very kind. What did Miss Hersey treat you to?" "Cream shortbread. At first she didn't want to bring it out, but then she saw Bo coming, so she changed her mind." It turned out that Beetui had also noticed it. "I'm not surprised at all." Ailian looked at Bolai through the glasses.

"Where's Visey Farm?" "Do you remember Dick's brown horse?" "of course I remember." "Gates bought it to Paige." Ailian stopped drinking sherry, pondered for a while, and then Bicui's sentence: "Let her show." "yes." "Oh." Eileen said slowly.She looked cheerful and thoughtful: "I don't think it's a good idea." "I don't think so either." "I'm going to wash my hands. What's for lunch?" "Beef Stew." "If Mrs. Bay made it, it would be nothing more than clear soup."

The twin sisters came back from get out of class.Simon also came back from the racecourse.He looked like he was very relaxed. "Did you know Gates bought Paige a new horse?" "No," said Simon, looking at Eileen with some interest. "He bought Dick's brown horse." "You mean the horse 'Whirlwind'?" Since Bolai met Simon, it was the first time to see Simon blushing.Simon paused, then went on to eat his lunch.The blush on his face disappeared, and he returned to his usual calmness.Eileen and Beatrice avoided looking at him as he chewed on the new news, but Ruth stared at him with interest.

While drinking the stew soup made by Mrs. Bei, the cook, Bolai studied Simon's reaction in his mind.Simon has always liked Gates' daughter.Would he be glad she got a good horse? No.He was absolutely furious.What made Simon even more unbearable was that his aunts and sisters were sure that he would be very angry.They'd known for a long time that he wouldn't forgive Paige for having a good horse.They had always dismissed the fact that Simon and Paige were in a relationship, and now they knew the horse would be a relief to them.What kind of person is Simon? Can't accept even being knocked down by someone he loves so much? He thinks of Beatrice's unusual joy, and of Eileen's reaction to the news.At that time they had expected: this horse is the terminator of that relationship.Gates bought the horse in order to be worthy of the Asybe family and let his daughter marry someone who was "well-matched" to them, but he did not expect that it would be self-defeating.Now that Simon was no longer the heir to the Asyby family, the question was: would Simon still love his rival? "Which horse will Bolle show at the farm show in Bull?" he heard Eileen ask.His attention returned to the table again.

"All of them." Simon was the first to answer. Seeing Eileen look at him suspiciously, he added, "The horses are all his." " Bolai heard the implication of Simon's words.He must have been furious at having to give up something to which he had been so accustomed all his life. "I don't want to show any horses," Bo said. "It requires great skill, and I'm not that good." "But you used to be very good at it." Bitui reminded him. "Really? Oh? That was a long time ago. Anyway, I don't want to show any horses at the Burnnon this year."

"Burnon Exhibition is only three weeks away." Ailian said, "Bicui can spend a day or two reviewing your skills for you, and you will definitely perform well by then." But Bolai was unmoved.It must be fun to work with English horses.Especially if he could ride an Asybe horse and win a prize.But it would be better for him not to show himself too much in the name of Bert Ashby. "Boy can go to the race," said Ruth. "It's the last horse in the show. If he rides Tipper, he'll beat anyone!" "Tibo is not used to mess with those bumpkins. If I still have the right to say a few words." Simon said without looking up, "The place where it should go is Olympia."

"I agree." Bo said, the atmosphere relaxed. Before lunch was over, the first visitor arrived.Then from coffee time to afternoon tea time, until around 6:00 pm, people came in an endless stream.They all came to see Bo.He noted the genuine joy with which those who knew Bert welcomed him back.Each of them has memories of Bert as children, and those memories are still vivid, because they all loved Bert and were sad about his sudden disappearance.Bolai had a strange feeling, as if the person being praised was someone he liked very much.The Asybe family property really shouldn't be passed on to Simon, it should be passed on to Bert.Bert wouldn't be mad if he knew his favorite girl had a nice horse.Burt is the proper heir.

So he accepted those verbal compliments in Bert's place, and he was very happy. At dinner time, the doctor from the town came.Bolai's mood was not so happy - he cared a lot about Ailian's reaction to the doctor.Ailian seemed to like that doctor very much, but Bolai didn't know that doctor at all. But he intuitively felt that the doctor was not good enough for Aileen.The only remaining customers now were Sergeant Small, the two Miss Barneys who owned a hardware store in town, and the doctor.Doctor Si is young with red hair.The freckles on his face give him an air of friendliness.He is the heir of the old doctor in the town, and the old doctor grew up watching everyone in the family.Bicui said that Dr. Si was "too smart, it's a pity to practice in the countryside".Bolai conjectured: The reason why he stayed in the country might be because of Ailian.He seemed to like Eileen very much.

"You've caused us a lot of trouble, young man," said Inspector Small, greeting Bolai.Bo Lai really likes his unrestrained speech.Just as he learned about British upper-middle classes from American movies, so he learned about British police officers from British newspapers.Neither of these fit the facts.Sergeant Small was a small man with a high nose and gray eyes, and he was very lively. Officer Small gave the two Miss Birkneys a ride, but Dr. Si lingered and refused to leave.It wasn't until Beatrice asked him to stay for dinner that he picked up his hat and hurriedly left.

"Poor Dr. Si," Bitui said during the dinner, "it's a pity that he can't stay to eat. I don't think his landlord must have fed him." "No." Simon said, regaining his good temper, and seemed to be in a good mood all afternoon. "He looks like he is malnourished at any time. Even if he stays, he won't eat." of. He lingered and didn't want to leave, he just wanted to see Ailian more. " This just confirmed what Bolai was worried about. But Ailian only said lightly: "Don't talk nonsense." When they ate dinner, everyone was tired, and dinner was hurriedly finished.Bo's excitement about coming home gradually turned into a matter-of-fact acceptance.Nor did they see him as someone who had just come home.Even Jenny stopped looking at him accusingly.He was happy to just be part of the picture so naturally.For the first time since arriving here, Bolai felt hungry. But as he was getting ready for bed, Simon's question returned to his mind.Simon was pretty sure he wasn't Bert's, but he didn't want to point it out. (Why? Because even if he points it out, no one will believe him, and his protest will only be regarded as anger because he is unwilling to hand over his family property to others? Or he is waiting for a better opportunity, which can be used in a more dramatic way Come to expose?) Simon, a person who is thoughtful enough to hide his inner feelings from his family, such a self-righteous and vain person, can't bear someone who doesn't follow his heart. He stood by the window in the dark room, gazing at the rolling hills.Perhaps he was less tired tonight and therefore less frightened.But he still felt that the most important determining factor in his life was still Simon. If Simon couldn't accept Paige owning a good horse, how would he feel about Bert suddenly taking over the Reichett estate? He thought for a long time, staring into the night. ’ When he finally turned to turn on the light, a voice rang in his mind: Where was Simon when Bert jumped off the cliff? Of course he immediately told himself that it was ridiculous to think so.What does it mean to ask? Murder? On the homestead in Recht? A boy of thirteen can do that? He tells himself to stop thinking. Burt's suicide was confirmed by the police.After a detailed investigation, the police confirmed that Burt had indeed committed suicide. Was it really a suicide? Or just couldn't prove it was homicide? Where was the coroner's report? He believed it was in the police file.It is not easy for an ordinary person to check the police file.They are too busy. But the story must have reached the local papers as well.At that time, it must have attracted considerable attention locally. There must be an investigation report in the archives of the newspaper, and he, Bolai, must check it out. In any case, he wanted to know where Simon had been when Bert jumped off the cliff near Westside.