[378] The maid of our old friend Mrs. Chambers of Hodsock Priory.
[379] She showed her clearness of mind by mentioning this picture, which she had not seen for years; but much trouble afterwards resulted from this clause in her will.
[380] Letter of Mrs. Fitz-Gerald, which would have been used at Guildford had the trial proceeded.
[381] Statement of Pierina to Miss Stanley.
[382] Statement made by Pierina to Monsignor Paterson, and repeated by him before the trial to Miss Stanley and my solicitor.
[383] Mrs. Alfred Montgomery died at Naples in January 1893.
[384] It was touching to us, and like Esmeralda's forethought, to find a clause in the will stating that in case of her former maid, Clémence, dying first, the annuity should be continued to her crippled helpless mother-in-law (whom Esmeralda had never seen), in order that Clémence might die without any burden on her mind.
[385] Every precaution had been taken by Esmeralda to prevent her fortune from falling to her brother Francis. In case of my dying unmarried, everything was to go to her cousin Charles Williamson; and in case of his death without children, to his brother Victor Williamson.
[386] At this point the agitation of Mary Stanley, who had been my informant, was so great, that she startled the court by something like a shout of denial.
[387] As Flora Ackermann, Madame Limosin had been brought up in my father's family, and, with her sister Victoria, had been treated like his own children.