Mrs. Somerton replied in the affirmative. There were many ways in which amends might be made towards wiping out great wrongs, and it seemed as if God had spared her life that she might have time to repair nearly all the injury she had done.
CHAPTER IX.
IN WHICH AN IMPORTANT WILL IS READ.
The last will and testament of Mr. Christopher Tallant set forth in proper legal phraseology, at great length, that the person known as Phœbe Tallant, and who was understood to be his daughter, was the daughter of Sarah Somerton, wife of Luke Somerton, farm bailiff; and that the person known as Amy Somerton, and who had passed hitherto as the daughter of the said Luke Somerton, was his, the testator’s, daughter.
This had been satisfactorily proved to him by the said Sarah Somerton, who had changed the said persons when they were infants; and the likeness of the late beloved testator’s wife bore testimony to the truth thereof.
But though the testator was fully satisfied of this, and though he acknowledged the person known as the said Amy Somerton to be his lawful child, his will had been drawn in such a way that its validity and legal weight should not simply rest upon this; but certain checks and explanations and provisions were made, the result being that the person hitherto known as Amy Somerton should be his heiress, and henceforth take the name of Tallant.
To this lady he left the whole of his real and personal estates, furniture, plate, linen, and moneys of all descriptions, banked or funded.
This was set forth in a deed of great length, dealing as it did with an estate which could so well afford long clauses on many sheets of parchment.
Property of the value of five hundred a year was left to Phœbe Somerton; a legacy of 2000l. to her father, and numerous small legacies to servants and others.
The name of Richard Tallant was not mentioned in any way, and that gentleman resolved to dispute the validity of the will.
He told the lawyer that he would file a bill in Chancery the very next day. The lawyer smiled and said he had no objection.