t one
brother; and my grandfather, who is a Norfolk gentleman of large
property, expected her, reasonably enough, to marry a man who was her
equal in fortune. However, she chose to marry my father, who was then a
soldier, a poor lieutenant, with little money, and equally little
prospect of rising. I don't know whether women are very wise or very
foolish, Lucia, but they seem to see things with different eyes to men.
My mother chose to marry, then, though my father was poor, and certain
to remain so; though she was a gay spoiled girl of just twenty-one, and
he a grave man not much under forty. He sold out, and they came here. I
don't believe she ever was unhappy, or repented her marriage, and my
father while she lived had all he cared for; since her death, indeed,
there has been sorrow after sorrow."

Maurice stopped a moment.

"But you know all that," he said hastily, and went on. "My mother wrote
several times to her father and to her brother, first after her arrival
in Canada, then after the birth of her eldest child, and last of all
just before she died; but no answer ever came. After her death my
father, as she wished, wrote again, but until this morning he had heard
nothing from my grandfather for all these six-and-twenty years."

"You have heard, then, at last?"

"At last. This morning a letter came. It is a pitiful one to read. My
grandfather is, as you may suppose, a very old man; he is ill and alone,
and begins to repent, I think, of his harshness to my mother."

"But why is he alone? You said he had a son."

"Yes, but he is dead. He died six months ago, and left but one child, a
daughter, who is married and has no children."

"No children? and your grandfather is very rich?"

"I believe so."

"But you are his heir, then? Is that it?"

"He says so, or rather, he says my mother's eldest son is his heir. He
knows nothing of me individually."

"And you are the only one left? Ah, Maurice, if Alice even had been
alive!"

Maurice sighed.

"If poor Herbert had been alive, how gladly I would have left the
heirship to him!"

"But why? I think that is foolish. It is a good thing to be rich. It
will be a good thing for you, because you are good."

Maurice laughed.

"Your flattery, Lucia, will not reconcile me to my fate. You have not
yet heard all."

"What else? Is Mr. Leigh pleased?"

"Not more than I am. My grandfather wants to see his heir."

"Do you mean that he wants you to go to England?"