diamond necklace was still in her possession, and no answer had been given
by her to a postscript to a lawyer's letter in which a little advice had
been given respecting it. At the end of another year, when she had just
reached the age of twenty-two, and had completed her second year of
widowhood, she was still Lady Eustace, thus contradicting the prophecy
made by the dean's wife. It was then spring, and she had a house of her
own in London. She had broken openly with Lady Linlithgow. She had
opposed, though not absolutely refused, all overtures of brotherly care
from John Eustace. She had declined a further invitation, both for herself
and for her child, to the palace. And she had positively asserted her
intention of keeping the diamonds. Her late husband, she said, had given
the diamonds to her. As they were supposed to be worth £10,000, and were
really family diamonds, the matter was felt by all concerned to be one of
much importance. And she was oppressed by a heavy load of ignorance, which
became serious from the isolation of her position. She had learned to draw
cheques, but she had no other correct notion as to business. She knew
nothing as to spending money, saving it, or investing it. Though she was
clever, sharp, and greedy, she had no idea what her money would do, and
what it would not; and there was no one whom she would trust to tell her.
She had a young cousin, a barrister, a son of the dean's, whom she perhaps
liked better than any other of her relations, but she declined advice even
from her friend the barrister. She would have no dealings on her own
behalf with the old family solicitor of the Eustaces, the gentleman who
had now applied very formally for the restitution of the diamonds, but had
appointed other solicitors to act for her. Messrs. Mowbray & Mopus were of
opinion that as the diamonds had been given into her hands by her husband
without any terms as to their surrender, no one could claim them. Of the
manner in which the diamonds had been placed in her hands no one knew more
than she chose to tell.