When she was found by her friend she was told at length the story
of all the circumstances which had brought Lady Ushant to Bragton.
When John Morton had first been taken ill,--before any fixed idea
of danger had occurred to himself or to others,--his grandmother
had come to him. Then, as he gradually became weaker he made
various propositions which were all of them terribly distasteful to
the old woman. In the first place he had insisted on sending for
Miss Trefoil. Up to this period Mary Masters had hardly heard the
name of Miss Trefoil, and almost shuddered as she was at once
immersed in all these family secrets. "She is to be here
to-morrow," said Lady Ushant.
"Oh dear,--how sad!"
"He insists upon it, and she is coming. She was here before, and it
now turns out that all the world knew that they were engaged. That
was no secret, for everybody had heard it"
"And where is Mrs. Morton now?" Then Lady Ushant went on with her
story. The sick man had insisted on making his will and had
declared his purpose of leaving the property to his cousin
Reginald. As Lady Ushant said, there was no one else to whom he
could leave it with any propriety;--but this had become matter for
bitter contention between the old woman and her grandson.
"Who did she think should have it?" asked Mary.
"Ah;--that I don't know.
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