theringham here, just to put his sister in the way of marrying
beneath her? And when he had answered that, though he saw no probability
of such an event, opinions might differ as to what was beneath Theodora,
she took the last means that occurred to her for tormenting him, by
predicting that Arthur's sickly little child would never live to grow
up--he need not fix any hopes on him.

He escaped at last, leaving her much irritated, as Theodora presently
found her. She began to complain bitterly of the ingratitude of her
great-nephews, after all her labours for the family! John treating her
whole fortune as if it was not worth even thanks, when she had been
ready to settle the whole on him at once, as she would have done,
since (and she looked sharply at Theodora) he was now free from that
Fotheringham engagement; for none of that family should ever have a
share in her property.

Theodora looked, if possible, more indifferent than John, as she
answered,

'John could not want it. I always thought you meant it for Arthur.'

'Arthur! as if you did not know he had forfeited all claim upon me!'

'His marriage is a reason for his needing it more,' said Theodora.

'It is of no use to speak of him. No, Theodora, you alone have acted as
I could wish; and if you continue to deserve my regard--'

'Don't say that, Aunt Nesbit,' said Theodora. 'I shall act as, I hope,
may deserve regard; but I don't want anybody's fortune, and if you left
me yours it would be very unfair, and I certainly should give at least
half of it to Arthur. I give you fair warning; but I did not come to
talk of such hateful things, but to read to you.'

That afternoon Mrs. Nesbit wrote a letter to her lawyer, and surprised
Miss Piper by asking if that puny child up-stairs had any name but John.

CHAPTER 10

Unschooled affections, strong and wild,
Have been my playmates from a child,
And strengthening in the breast unseen,
Poisoned the fount within.
--Thoughts in Past Years

The morning of the next day had been fine, and was spent in shooting by
Arthur and Mr. Fotheringham; but the latter came home in time to ride
with John, to make a call on some old friends, far beyond what had long
been John's distance.

The afternoon closed in a violent storm of wind and rain, which drove
Arthur indoors, and compelled Violet to resort for exercise to the
gallery, where she paced up and down with Johnnie in her ar