Mallathorpe steadied herself on the edge of the table and looked at
him fixedly. "Everything'll have to be given up?" she asked.
"The terms of this will will be carried out," answered Eldrick.
"Will--will they make me give up--what we've--saved?" she whispered.
"Mother!" said Nesta appealingly. "Don't! Come away somewhere and let me
talk to you--come!"
But Mrs. Mallathorpe shook off her daughter's hand and turned again to
Eldrick.
"Will they?" she demanded. "Answer!"
"I don't think you'll find the trustees at all hard when it comes to a
question of account," answered Eldrick. "They'll probably take matters
over from now and ignore anything that's happened during the past two
years."
Again Nesta tried to lead her mother away, and again Mrs. Mallathorpe
pushed the appealing hand from her. All her attention was fixed on
Eldrick. "And--and will the police give me--now--what they found on that
woman?" she whispered.
"I have no doubt they will," replied Eldrick. "It's--yours."
Mrs. Mallathorpe drew a sigh of relief. She looked at the solicitor
steadily for a moment--then without another word she turned and went
away--to find Prydale.
Eldrick turned to Nesta.
"Don't forget," he said in a low voice, "it's a terrible blow to her,
and she's been thinking of your interests! Leave her alone for a
while--she'll get used to the altered circumstances.
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