Anything Goes

they owned together. Someplace they were going to build a resort in the mountains out west. But that probably won’t happen now, what with your uncle dying.“
    “Your father was on the boat, too, wasn’t he?“ Robert said.
    Sissy made a Sad Face, which wasn’t nearly as flattering as she apparently imagined. “Yes, and it was too, too horrible. It’s a good thing Mummy and I didn’t even hear about it until Daddy was home safe and sound and told us about it.“
    “What did he say happened?“ Robert persisted.
    “Your uncle had invited some friends to go look at that awful island. I can’t imagine why. It’s so terribly spooky, you know. And dangerous. And this perfectly dreadful storm suddenly came up and the boat was being tossed around horribly and it started sinking right out there in the middle of the river.”
    Sissy was getting all the drama she could out of telling the story.
    “What did your father do?“ Lily asked.
    “He and your uncle got this little boat—a dinghy, I think it’s called—unhooked from the back and started helping people into it. But Daddy slipped on something when the boat rocked violently and hit his head and fell down. He said he must have passed out for a few minutes. When he got his wits back, the dinghy was gone and there was only one other man on the boat that he could see. The other man said he was a pretty strong swimmer and was going to take his chances in the water instead of waiting to see if the dinghy made it to the island and came back. The rain was coming down so hard they couldn’t even see where it had gone. Daddy’s a good swimmer, too, so they dived in.“
    “They didn’t know Uncle Horatio was still on board?“ Robert asked.
    “No! Daddy assumed he’d gone with the dinghy. And he was appalled when he finally got to the island and realized everybody was there except Mr. Brewster. Daddy tried to take the dinghy back out to fetch him, but the guards on the island, who had thrown out a rope when they heard the cries for help, wouldn’t let him.“
    “Why not?“
    “Because the dinghy had a hole in it by then, too. They said it wasn’t safe to take out again. One of them even drew a gun on him. It was an outrage, of course. Daddy says they all staggered around on the rocks clear around the island looking for your uncle. They thought he’d decided to swim to safety, too, and had ended up somewhere else on the island.“
    “But he hadn’t,“ Lily said. “Poor Uncle Horatio.“
     

Chapter 10
     
    Sissy’s father showed up a moment later. He was a tall, stiff, sandy-colored, military-looking man who walked with a cane. He didn’t seem to have a limp, and the cane was quite grand, ebony wood with a gold handle in the shape of a flying goose, so Lily assumed it must be an affectation. Or perhaps he sustained some minor injury in the Great War and had once used it out of necessity and now merely kept it out of habit.
    “You have company?“ Major Jonathan Winslow said in a tone that implied that he didn’t quite approve.
    Sissy leaped to her feet to make introductions. “Daddy, you’ve met Lily and Robert Brewster before. But it’s been ages and ages. Back when Lily and I were in boarding school.“
    “Nice to see you again,“ Major Winslow said, apparently approving the credentials. “Taking a look at the countryside, are you?“
    “Yes and no,“ Lily said. “We live next door to you now. We inherited Honeysuckle Cottage from our Uncle Horatio.“
    “Imagine that,“ Winslow said. “I never heard Horatio talk about his family. I asked Mr. Prinney about the distribution of his assets, of course, thinking I might buy the place and fix it up, but I suppose you know what he’s like. Won’t give away any information. Just told me it had been left to relatives and it would be up to them. You’re not interested in selling it, are you?”
    That’s blunt enough, Lily thought. “No, not in the least. We’re gaga about the place.“
    “Probably really belongs to your parents anyway,“ Major Winslow said. “I’ll drop by one of these days and ask them about it.“
    “Our parents are dead, Major Winslow,“ Robert said.
    “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Didn’t know. Well, I wish you the best with it. And I hope you don’t mind a bit of advice...”
    Robert was smiling his best fake smile. He wasn’t any more taken with Major Winslow than Lily was. “What might that be, sir?“ Robert asked with exaggerated respect.
    “Take it