“You are very right. I shall be here until five o’clock.”

“I hope to be back long before then!”

It took Wingfold an hour to find Richard. He heard the news without a word, but his eyes flashed, and Wingfold knew he thought of Barbara and his mother and the Mansons. Then his face clouded.

“It will bring trouble on the rest of my father’s family,” he said.

“Not all of them,” returned Wingfold. “And you have it in your power to ease the trouble. But do not be hastily generous, and do what you may regret, finding it for no one’s good.”

“I will think well before I do anything,” answered Richard. “But I must see my mother first.”

He found her ironing a shirt for him, and told her the news. She received it quietly. Facing so many changes had caused both her and Richard to adopt a sober way of expecting anything. By this time there hardly seemed to be any surprises left.

They went to Mr. Bell, and Richard told him to do what he judged necessary. Mr. Bell at once communicated with lady Ann’s lawyer, and requested him to inform her that sir Richard would call upon her the next day.

Mr. Wingfold accompanied him to Mortgrange. Lady Ann received them with perfect coolness.

“You are, I trust, aware of the cause of my visit, lady Ann?” said Richard.

“I am.”

“May I ask what you propose to do?”

“That, excuse me, is my affair. It lies with me to ask you what provision you intend making for sir Wilton’s family.”

“Allow me, lady Ann, to take the lesson you have given me, and answer, that is my affair.”

She saw she had made a mistake.

“For my part,” she returned, “I should not object to remaining in the house, were I but assured that my daughters should be in no danger of meeting improper persons.”

“But, of course, I can give you no assurances that would meet with your satisfaction. It would be no pleasure for either of us, lady Ann, to be so near one another. Our ways of thinking are too much opposed. I venture to suggest that you should occupy the old house of your father’s.”

“I will do as I see fit.”

Lady Ann left the room, and the next week left the house for Cinqmer, which was not far off, the smaller of the two estates.

The week following Richard went to see Arthur there.

“Now, Arthur,” he said, “let us be frank with each other. I am not your enemy. I am bound to do the best I can for you all.

“When you thought the land was yours, I had a trade to fall back on. Now that the land proves mine, you have no such means of making a livelihood. If you will be a brother, you will accept what I offer you. I will turn over to you for your lifetime, but without power to pass it on after you, this estate of Cinqmer, with the only burden imposed upon it that you pay five hundred a year to your sister Theodora till her marriage.”