The earl, who was an adept in reading characters, saw this. He judged that the young wife could not give up her husband without experiencing some sharp pangs, and in this he was not mistaken.
He did all he could to rouse her. He gave a grand dinner party, to which the leading notabilities of the county were invited, who paid homage to the mistress of Broxbridge, to whom they were most profuse in their compliments.
The earl ordered a magnificent costume from Paris for his grand-daughter, who was delighted.
In the novelty and excitement she forgot her sorrow, and from that hour the world took possession of her.
Lord Ethalwood kept most faithfully every promise he had made her. In this respect he was the soul of honour.
He busied himself in getting together every legal proof of her identity, and in this he succeeded even beyond his anticipation.
No one could for a moment question the fact of her being veritably his grandchild.
But as the world is censorious, he deemed it advisable to put the question beyond the reach of cavillers.
Then he formally declared his great grandson his heir, and made his will, bequeathing to Aveline, his beloved grandchild, a fortune, which was to have been divided between three of his children, and which would have made each of them rich.
These arrangements seemed to give him more pleasure than they did Aveline, who felt that after all she was but a mere puppet in the hand of her courtly relative.