It had excellent reasons for thoroughly understanding Sir Nigel Anstruthers.Its opinions of him it reserved to itself.
If Messrs.Townlinson & Sheppard had been asked to give a daughter into their client's keeping, they would have flatly refused to accept the honour proposed.Mr.Townlinson had, indeed, at the time of the marriage, admitted in strict confidence to his partner that for his part he would have somewhat preferred to follow a daughter of his own to her tomb.After the marriage the firm had found the situation confusing and un-English.There had been trouble with Sir Nigel, who had plainly been disappointed.At first it had appeared that the American magnate had shown astuteness in refraining from leaving his son-in-law a free hand.Lady Anstruthers' fortune was her own and not her husband's.Mr.
Townlinson, paying a visit to Stornham and finding the bride a gentle, childish-looking girl, whose most marked expression was one of growing timorousness, had returned with a grave face.He foresaw the result, if her family did not stand by her with firmness, which he also foresaw her husband would prevent if possible.It became apparent that the family did not stand by her--or were cleverly kept at a distance.
There was a long illness, which seemed to end in the seclusion from the world, brought about by broken health.
Then it was certain that what Mr.Townlinson had foreseen had occurred.The inexperienced girl had been bullied into submission.Sir Nigel had gained the free hand, whatever the means he had chosen to employ.Most improper--most improper, the whole affair.He had a great deal of money, but none of it was used for the benefit of the estate--his deformed boy's estate.Advice, dignified remonstrance, resulted only in most disagreeable scenes.Messrs.
Townlinson & Sheppard could not exceed certain limits.The manner in which the money was spent was discreditable.There were avenues a respectable firm knew only by rumour, there were insane gambling speculations, which could only end in disaster, there were things one could not decently concern one's self with.Lady Anstruthers' family had doubtless become indignant and disgusted, and had dropped the whole affair.
Sad for the poor woman, but not unnatural.
And now appears a Miss Vanderpoel, who wishes to appoint an interview with Messrs.Townlinson & Sheppard.
What does she wish to say? The family is apparently taking the matter up.Is this lady an elder or a younger sister of Lady Anstruthers? Is she an older woman of that strong and rather trying American type one hears of, or is she younger than her ladyship, a pretty, indignant, totally unpractical girl, outraged by the state of affairs she has discovered, foolishly coming to demand of Messrs.Townlinson & Sheppard an explanation of things they are not responsible for? Will she, perhaps, lose her temper, and accuse and reproach, or even--most unpleasant to contemplate--shed hysterical tears?
It fell to Mr.Townlinson to receive her in the absence of Mr.Sheppard, who had been called to Northamptonshire to attend to great affairs.He was a stout, grave man with a heavy, well-cut face, and, when Bettina entered his room, his courteous reception of her reserved his view of the situation entirely.
She was not of the mature and rather alarming American type he had imagined possible, he felt some relief in marking at once.She was also not the pretty, fashionable young lady who might have come to scold him, and ask silly, irrational questions.
His ordinarily rather unillumined countenance changed somewhat in expression when she sat down and began to speak.
Mr.Townlinson was impressed by the fact that it was at once unmistakably evident that whatsoever her reason for coming, she had not presented herself to ask irrelevant or unreasonable questions.Lady Anstruthers, she explained without superfluous phrase, had no definite knowledge of her husband's whereabouts, and it had seemed possible that Messrs.Townlinson & Sheppard might have received some information more recent that her own.The impersonal framing of this inquiry struck Mr.Townlinson as being in remarkably good taste, since it conveyed no condemnation of Sir Nigel, and no desire to involve Mr.Townlinson in expressing any.It refrained even from implying that the situation was an unusual one, which might be open to criticism.Excellent reserve and great cleverness, Mr.Townlinson commented inwardly.There were certainly few young ladies who would have clearly realised that a solicitor cannot be called upon to commit himself, until he has had time to weigh matters and decide upon them.His long and varied experience had included interviews in which charming, emotional women had expected him at once to "take sides." Miss Vanderpoel exhibited no signs of expecting anything of this kind, even when she went on with what she had come to say.Stornham Court and its surroundings were depreciating seriously in value through need of radical repairs etc.Her sister's comfort was naturally involved, and, as Mr.
Townlinson would fully understand, her nephew's future.
The sooner the process of dilapidation was arrested, the better and with the less difficulty.The present time was without doubt better than an indefinite future.Miss Vanderpoel, having fortunately been able to come to Stornham, was greatly interested, and naturally desirous of seeing the work begun.Her father also would be interested.Since it was not possible to consult Sir Nigel, it had seemed proper to consult his solicitors in whose hands the estate had been for so long a time.She was aware, it seemed, that not only Mr.