iklees

Missy Wright woont met haar moeder en tante in het huis Missalonghi, in het kleine plaatste Byron in Australie. Ze hebben het niet breed, ondanks hun nauwe verwantschap met de Hurlingfords, want in die familie blijft alle rijkdom in de mannelijke lijn. Door haar (verre) nicht Una, de nieuwe bibliotheekmedewerster, en door de komst van de mysterieuze John Smith, begint Missy zich te realiseren dat zij en haar vrouwelijke verwanten veel te lang over zich hebben laten lopen.

Sir William snorted. “What do they know about shares, silly old biddies like Cornelia and Julia and Octavia? I didn’t want them thinking they were hanging onto something valuable, so as well as never paying them a dividend, I told them the shares were worthless because they belonged by rights to Maxwell and Herbert. However, rather than make a big fuss, I merely told them they could best rectify the mistake by willing the shares to the sons of Maxwell and Herbert.”
“Clever!” said Alicia admiringly.
Sir William gave her one of his hot lusting glances; she was beginning to wonder privately how easy it was going to be to keep Uncle Billy at arm’s length after she married and moved into Hurlingford Lodge — but cross that bridge later.
“We’ll acquire the old maids’ shares now,” said Edmund Marshall, looking very gloomy. “Though, Billy, I must be frank and admit that I don’t know how I’m going to find any ready money. I’d have to retrench drastically, which would be most disagreeable for my family — Alicia’s wedding, you know.”
“I’m in the same boat myself, old man,” said Sir William, the words sticking in his gullet. “It’s all this flap over the big war in Europe, dammit! Rumour-mongering is all!”
“Why buy the shares?” asked Alicia, just the smallest tinge of contempt for their stupidity in her voice. “All you have to do is go to Auntie Cornie and Auntie Julie and Auntie Octie and ask! They’ll hand them over without a murmur!”

Het verhaal in grote lijnen en de uitvoering tot vlak voor het einde, spraken me erg aan, maar het laatste stukje viel me tegen. In plaats van een grote triomf voor Missy, blijkt alles opeens gebaseerd op vrij platte wraak en een merkwaardig soort cosmische interventie, die ik moeilijk kon rijmen met de verwachting die het verhaal tot dat moment had opgebouwd.