er own claim and calls herself a
Countess in Sicily; and we should let the Italian woman know that we
had done so. In such case, for aught anybody can say here, she might
come forward with her own case. She would find men here who would
take it up on speculation readily enough. There would be a variety
of complications, and no doubt very great delay. In such an event
we should question very closely the nature of the property; as, for
aught I have seen as yet, a portion of it might revert to you as real
estate. It is very various,--and it is not always easy to declare
at once what is real and what personal. Hitherto you have appeared
as contesting the right of the English widow to her rank, and not
necessarily as a claimant of the estate. The Italian widow, if a
widow, would be the heir, and not your lordship. For that, among
other reasons, the marriage would be most expedient. If the Italian
Countess were to succeed in proving that the Earl had a wife living
when he married Miss Murray,--which I feel sure he had not,--then we
should come forward again with our endeavours to show that that first
wife had died since,--as the Earl himself undoubtedly declared more
than once. It would be a long time before the tailor got his money
with his wife. The feeling of the court would be against him."

"Could we buy the tailor, Sir William?"

The Solicitor-General nursed his leg before he answered.

"Mr. Flick could answer that question better than I can do. In fact,
Mr. Flick should know it all. The matter is too heavy for secrets,
Lord Lovel."

CHAPTER XIX.

LADY ANNA RETURNS TO LONDON.

After the Earl was gone Lady Anna had but a bad time of it at Yoxham.
She herself could not so far regain her composure as to live on
as though no disruption had taken place. She knew that she was in
disgrace, and the feeling was dreadful to her. The two ladies were
civil, and tried to make the house pleasant, but they were not
cordial as they had been hitherto. For one happy halcyon week,--for a
day or two before the Earl had come, and for those bright days during
which he had been with them,--she had found herself to be really
admitted into the inner circle as one of the family. Mrs. Lovel
had been altogether gracious with her. Minnie had been her darling
little friend. Aunt Julia had been so far won as to be quite alive to
the necessity of winning. The rector himself had never quite given
way,--had never been so sure of his foot