"Not at all," answered Morley Ernstein. "It was perfectly your brother's right; and as soon as I became convinced that it was so, I could not have held the estate for a single hour. Neither did your brother behave at all unhandsomely in any of the proceedings regarding it--"
"Nay--nay," said Helen, holding up her hand--"though he did not, Sir Morley; and I believe would ultimately have done what was right, yet his lawyers did behave unhandsomely in his name; but I have immediately taken means to remedy what was amiss."
"I do not know what you have done, my dear Miss Barham," said Morley, with a smile; "but I trust and hope that your kind and generous feelings have not induced you to undo anything that has been settled. What the law gives you, is yours; and as far as I am concerned in the matter, I cannot consent to your making any sacrifice--honour and common honesty forbid me; and now, having said this, let me enquire what it is that you have done?"
Helen was sitting beside him on the sofa, and for a moment she raised her bright eyes to his, with a look of internal satisfaction mingled with regard, which, if Morley had chosen to translate it, might have been read--"I have done that which gives me the highest delight, because you must and will approve it." But she did not answer exactly in those words, and withdrew her eyes again immediately, with a sigh, and a look of sadness, as if she saw something in Morley's countenance, which she had not remarked before.
"What I have done," she said "is only what is just and right. There has been no generosity--no flights of what people call fine feeling in it, and I think you will confess at once that it is so, and not give me the greatest pain, by refusing to accede to that which your own heart will tell you is just, merely because it is proposed to you by a person whom you have already loaded with benefits. I think," she added, in a lower, but not less eager tone, "you would not willingly make me very unhappy."
"God forbid!" replied Morley, warmly. "What is there that I, would not do to make you happy?"
Helen's cheek became a little pale, and, for a moment, she did not answer; but finding that he paused also, she said--"The fact is, simply, this: the property which my brother claimed, and recovered was bought from my grandfather, who, I am told, was the most careless and thoughtless of men. He did not, I am sure, intend to defraud your father, and acted without consideration. But, at all events, your father paid ninety-three thousand pounds for the estate; and the lawyers tell me, that if my grandfather had been still living, you could have claimed and recovered that sum from him. It is but just, then, that I should pay it back to you, and I have told the people in London, to place it immediately in the hands of your friend, Mr. Hamilton.--Nay, now," she added, "do not look grave and thoughtful--your heart tells you that what I propose is right."
"But--" said Morley Ernstein.
"Nay, nay," interrupted Helen, playfully; "I will have no buts. Tell me, Sir Morley, in former days--to remember which, connected with your kindness, will always be most delightful to me--did I not ever do what you told me, as soon as I was convinced that it was right?"
"You did, indeed," said Morley, with a smile; "but I wish first to be sure whether this is really right?"