-Lord
Fawn!" the old lawyer had said when the news was communicated to him.
"Well,--yes;--he wants money. I don't envy him; that's all. We shall
get the diamonds now, John. Lord Fawn isn't the man to let his wife
keep what doesn't belong to her." Then, after a day or two, Lord Fawn
had himself gone to Mr. Camperdown's chambers. "I believe I am to
congratulate you, my lord," said the lawyer. "I'm told you are going
to marry--; well, I mustn't really say another of my clients, but the
widow of one of them. Lady Eustace is a very beautiful woman, and she
has a very pretty income too. She has the whole of the Scotch
property for her life."
"It's only for her life, I suppose?" said Lord Fawn.
"Oh, no, no;--of course not. There's been some mistake on her
part;--at least, so I've been told. Women never understand. It's
all as clear as daylight. Had there been a second son, the second
son would have had it. As it is, it goes with the rest of the
property--just as it ought to do, you know. Four thousand a year
isn't so bad, you know, considering that she isn't more than a girl
yet, and that she hadn't sixpence of her own. When the admiral died,
there wasn't sixpence, Lord Fawn."
"So I have heard."
"Not sixpence. It's all Eustace money. She had six or eight thousand
pounds, or something like that, besides. She's as lovely a young
widow as I ever saw,--and very clever."
"Yes;--she is clever."
"By-the-bye, Lord Fawn, as you have done me the honour of
calling,--there's a stupid mistake about some family diamonds."
"It is in respect to them that I've come," said Lord Fawn. Then Mr.
Camperdown, in his easy, off-hand way, imputing no blame to the lady
in the hearing of her future husband, and declaring his opinion that
she was doubtless unaware of its value, explained the matter of the
necklace. Lord Fawn listened, but said very little. He especially did
not say that Lady Eustace had had the stones valued. "They're real, I
suppose?" he asked. Mr. Camperdown assured him that no diamonds more
real had ever come from Golconda, or passed through Mr. Garnett's
hands. "They are as well known as any family diamonds in England,"
said Mr. Camperdown. "She has got into bad hands,"--continued Mr.
Camperdown. "Mowbray and Mopus;--horrible people; sharks, that make
one blush for one's profession; and I was really afraid there would
have been trouble. But, of course, it'll be all right now;--and if
she'll only come to me, tell her I
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