a home for the aged these days

He made a soothing noise which she didn't seem to hear, for she went on speaking, but in a different voice, more to herself than to him. "Drogheda is like a home for the aged these days," she said. "We need young blood, and Justine's is the only young blood left." Pity deserted him; he leaned forward quickly, eyes glittering. "You speak of her as if she is a chattel of Drogheda," he said, his voice now harsh. "I serve you notice, Mrs. O'neill, she is not!" "What right have you to judge what Justine is or isn't?" she asked angrily. "After all, you said yourself that you haven't seen her since before Dane died, and that's two years ago!" "Yes, you're right. It's all of two years ago." He spoke more gently, realizing afresh what her life must be like. "You bear it very well, Mrs. O'neill." "Do I?" she asked, tightly trying to smile, her eyes never leaving his. Suddenly he began to understand what the Cardinal must have seen in her to have loved her so much. It wasn't in Justine, but then he himself was no Cardinal Ralph; he looked for different things. "Yes, you bear it very well," he repeated. She caught the undertone at once, and flinched. "How do you know about Dane and Ralph?" she asked unsteadily. "I guessed. Don't worry, Mrs. O'neill, nobody else did. I guessed because I knew the Cardinal long before I met Dane. In Rome everyone thought the Cardinal was your brother, Dane's uncle, but Justine disillusioned me about that the first time I ever met her." "Justine? Not Justine!" Meggie cried. He reached out to take her hand, beating frantically against her knee. "No, no, no, Mrs. O'neill! Justine has absolutely no idea of it, and I pray she never will! Her slip was quite unintentional, believe me." "You're sure?" "Yes, I swear it." "Then in God's Name why doesn't she come home? Why won't she come to see me? Why can't she bring herself to look at my face?" Not only her words but the agony in her voice told him what had tormented Justine's mother about her absence these last two years. His own mission's importance dwindled; now he had a new one, to allay Meggie's fears. "For that 1 am to blame," he said firmly. "You?" asked Meggie, bewildered. "Justine had planned to go to Greece with Dane, and she's convinced that had she, he'd still be alive." "Nonsense!" said Meggie. "Q. But though we know it's nonsense, Justine doesn't. It's up to you to make her see it." "Up to me? You don't understand, Mr. Hartheim. Justine has never listened to me in all her life, and at this stage any influence I might once have had is completely gone. She doesn't even want to see my face."