Family Rivalry by Gail Hamilton

Author:Gail Hamilton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: hamilton, road to avonlea, gail hamilton
Publisher: Davenport Press

Chapter Nine

Alec King was generally such a steady, easygoing fellow that it took a few seconds for Roger to realize that his brother was truly offended. He started out at once towards the farmhouse in pursuit, making much slower progress than Alec because of his bad leg. It had been very foolish, Roger realized, to make Alec angry—especially in view of what Roger now had to ask.

In the farmhouse kitchen, Alec was pouring himself a glass of water from the pitcher and glowering at the wall. Advancing into this stony silence, broken only by the ticking of the clock, Roger now did his best to sound conciliatory.

“Listen, Alec,” he began from the doorway, “I really was only trying to help. You’re too stubborn for your own good sometimes.”

Alec took another swallow from the water glass, as though he needed to douse the words burning in his throat.

“I appreciate your concern,” he answered coolly, “but we’re managing.”

Roger limped further into the kitchen and stood just on the other side of the broad kitchen table. He looked worried, but about more than just the new milking machine.

“I never doubted that,” Roger told his brother in a placating voice. “You know, you’ve never listened to any voice other than your own, and probably rightly so, so I will keep my nose out of your affairs in future. As it stands, I won’t be here much longer anyway.”

“Oh?” Surprised by Roger’s sudden capitulation, Alec finally put down the glass and faced his brother. It wasn’t like Roger to give in so easily.

“I must return to Brazil,” Roger said slowly, as if breaking the news to himself as well as his brother.

This bombshell crashed into the stillness. Alec, once he got over the surprise, began to frown.

“Does Andrew know about this?” he asked, his first concern being for the boy’s disappointment.

Roger paused and then, a little hesitantly, put forward his request.

“Would you be amenable to keeping Andrew here at Avonlea for another year?”

A year! That was an eon in the life of a growing boy. And Andrew had already spent one year away from his father. Alec tugged at the bib of his overalls, looking grave.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Roger. He’s been looking forward to being with you for a long time.”

“I know that, Alec.” Roger sighed. “But I feel I have a moral obligation to complete this job satisfactorily.”

“What about your responsibility to your son?” Alec demanded, severely.

Alec had had a lot more experience with children than Roger, and he realized the damage that a further separation could inflict on Andrew. Probably, in his heart, Roger suspected it too, for he suddenly bristled all over, going on the attack so that he wouldn’t have to really think about what another trip to Brazil would mean for his son.

“You’re a fine one to talk about responsibilities,” Roger shot back, a patronizing tone creeping in once again, “running around taking care of a neighbor’s problems when you should be at home running this place.

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