CHAPTER THIRTY

When Charles had left Tibby at Ducie Street, he immediately went to the train station and headed home. When he arrived, he found his father eating dinner alone.

"I'm expecting Margaret soon. Be so good as to tell me when she arrives," he asked.

"Yes, sir, of course," Charles answered obediently.

After evening had turned to night and it was clear that Margaret was not returning, Henry told Charles that he would like to have a talk with him. They went out into the garden.

After hearing about the fight his father had had with his wife, he concluded that Margaret was no better than Helen. Of course, Henry never once mentioned his relationship with Mrs Bast.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the sisters are sleeping at Howards End tonight," Henry said with a very serious voice. "Charles, that house will be yours after I die, and I want you to make sure that no one ever lives there. Do you understand me? No one!"

"Of course, sir!"

"Tomorrow, I'd like you to remove them from Howards End. I will help Helen as much as I can, but she must leave. And, Charles ... remember, no violence is necessary."

"I'll go bright and early."

The following morning, after leaving Mr Bast lying dead at Howards End, Charles went into town and informed the police. He did not feel he had done anything wrong. He repeated to everyone what Margaret had told him after Mr Bast had fallen to the floor: "He seemed to have had a heart attack."

When he returned home and started to tell his father about what had happened, Mr Wilcox shouted, "I cannot believe that that man was brought to your mother's home!"

"Yes, quite terrible. I was speaking with Mrs Wilcox and her sister upstairs. I told them what you'd asked me to, and she, in return, asked me to tell you that she was going to Germany with her sister. Then, all of a sudden, Mrs Wilcox shouted that terrible man's name. He'd been hiding in the house, I believe, and I turned and saw him standing in the hallway. I took hold of the sword on the wall and ran toward him."

"Good boy ... ! Wait ... What did you say? A sword? Why on earth did you have a sword?" asked Mr Wilcox, suddenly worried.

"Well, I didn't have anything else to use, so I grabbed that from the wall and ... I hit him a couple of times on the shoulders."

"But you're sure he died of a heart attack?"

"Of course. Anyway, that'll be decided by the police," Charles answered calmly.

After breakfast, Henry told his son that he was going to walk into town to visit the local police station. He was clearly worried about his son's future and he made a rare show of emotion by putting his hand on his son's arm. Charles hated it, and felt that the old man was starting to show his age and weakness.

Later that evening, when his father returned, he informed Charles that he would need to go to the police station the following day for questioning.

"Ah, yes, of course. I knew they'd expect me," was his only reply.

(end of section)