My Cousin Rachel Page #4

Watch me...

Watch me now...

Watch me as much as you wish!

Rachel.

Please!

Thats no use either

When we both remember what he wrote.

I can forget

If you will

But why should you?

How do you know different?

Because you are not that women.

You're not the woman I hated.

That was someone who existed only in his...

Poor sick mind.

That's very generous of you Philip

I was a fool.

o. ot at all.

Someday when i'm not so tired i'd like to tell you about it.

About Ambrose and myself

And our marriage.

As much of it as i understand anyway.

I'd never even met a man like this

Strong tender without conceit of any kind.

I think for the first time in my life I knew what peace was.

Most for him.

He was like someone sleeping

Who'd wakened suddenly

And found the world with all its beauty

And sadness too.

Guido Rainaldi

Whom he detested as much as you probably do

Guido told me once that Ambrose wakened to me

As some men waken to religion.

But a woman-Unhappily- Is not religion

She's a human being with human thoughts.

And she shouldn't be judged by the same rules.

He expected too much of you?

Her halo can be a lovely thing

But she much be able to take it off now and again

And be human occasionally.

In any case-Finally-Religion doesn't always improve a person.

And waking to the world didn't help Ambrose.

He changed.

His nature changed.

How?

That's a question I wish from the bottom of my heart

I could answer.

The doctors said it was his illness.

That out of pain and fear these deep hidden thoughts

And suspicions came at long last to the surface.

But how can I be sure?

That it wasn't something in me that brought them out.

Will you get a candle and light me upstairs?

Of course.

Thank you.

You're quite sure you don't hate me now?

Why should i?

I'm very glad for it. Goodnight.

He's penniless i'm sure.

That Italian friend of hers was a little vague about it

But Ambrose wrote if you remember

That everything she possessed including the villa

Would have to be sold to pay off Sangaletti's debts.

She's certainly entitled to something.

How much would you suggest?

Five thousand pounds a year.

Five thousand?

To be paid to her quarterly from the day of Ambrose's death.

You don't think that's a trifle overgenerous?

How can one be overgenerous with property

That might have been due her anyway?

Very well.

If you insist i'll direct the bank to make the payments.

A sum like that...

It's almost better than being mentioned in the will.

To my distant but very dear cousin.

To mine with a heart full of love and gratitude.

And now...

Before the others arrive.

Merry christmas dear Rachel.

ow?

If you will.

Philip darling.

Put it on.

The most beautiful thing i've ever seen in my life.

Thank you darling.

Forgive me Mrs. Ashley but I really must comment on it.

That's the most beautiful pearl necklace i've ever seen.

Thank you. It's a very proud possession.

Philip i've had a communication from the bank

Which I find decidedly disturbing.

Yes.

It seems that in less than three months

Your cousin Rachel has overdrawn her account more than double.

Well?

You don't regard that as an extraordinary situation?

Why should i?

What she does with her money is no affair of ours.

Well I do.

And the only explanation I can find is

That she's sending the money out of the country.

Whatever she does with it

The only important point is that obviously whatever we gave her was not enough.

That's ridiculous.

We know she had debts. We know she's a generous woman.

I want you to increase her allowance at once

And in addition to issue a check to cover that overdraft.

Philip you're being very wayward.

I've been constantly worried in fact by the direction

In which your emotions have been carrying you recently.

The county for one thing has not failed to note

The length of your cousin's stay in this house.

I'm not interested in the gossip of old women thank you.

For another you had no right to take that necklace from the family collection

It was not yours and won't be for another three months yet.

What of it? It'll be mine then won't it?

The entire estate will be yours then.

But until then not one item of it.

Very well then i've loaned to her for three months.

Is there any harm in that?

I don't know.

I'm not sure.

What are you suggesting that she might take it and sell it?

Quite by chance recently

I've come to learn a little more about your cousin Rachel.

Such as what?

It happened I came across some old friends who've been

Who've been wintering in france and Italy over a period of years.

It seems they met your cousin when she was married to Sangaletti.

And?

Both were notorious for unbridled extravagance

And their own tell points loose living.

The duel in which Sangaletti died was fought because of another man.

These people said...

Don't you ever talk to anyone but gossips?

These people said that when they heard of Ambrose's marriage

To the countess Sangaletti they were horrified.

They predicted she would run through his fortune in a matter of months.

I'm sorry to have to tell you all this Philip.

But my friends are responsible people they're not given to idle gossip.

I've never heard anything so despicable!

Who are these people anyway?

Oh it doesn't matter.

All that's important for the moment is that necklace.

You know it's tradition very well.

You must explain this to her and ask her to return it to the collection.

ot in a thousand years.

Then I must do it for you.

I forbid you sir.

You will not utter one word to Mrs. Ashley on the subject.

The necklace is now hers.

Philip you are very young very impressionable.

And I quite understand your wanting to give your cousin some token of esteem

But family jewels are rather more than that

Particularly that necklace.

So as your guardian and executor of the estate

I must be firm about it.

If you won't ask Mrs. Ashley to return it I shall.

I'm sorry but I couldn't help overhearing.

But I assure there's no need for either of you to be embarrassed.

It was dear of Philip to let me wear this for the evening.

But quite right of you Mr. Kendall to insist on its return. Here.

I shan't forget this nick.

Philip please.

You mustn't mind really.

I was proud to have worn it for even that once.

I wanted you to wear it for always.

I know. I understand

But that stupid unspeakable old...

You're acting like a child. It doesn't matter I assure you. ot in the least.

I'm not a child. I must ask you to please remember that.

But I do I do darling.

I'm five and twenty all but three blasted months.

I object to any further patronage from anybody.

My mother wore those pearls on her wedding day.

Before that my aunt.

Before that my grandmother.

Don't you realize why I wanted you to wear them too?

Bless you.

At last!

Good evening sir.

We've been waiting for you. You remember Guido of course.

Of course.

I must apologize for coming without an invitation.

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