“Some family estrangement. Her grandfather supposed until nearly the last moment of his life that his son was dead. It was too late to alter his will, and so Helen and her father are left penniless.”
“And who inherited the property then?” demanded Margaret, eagerly.
“A cousin of Mr. Ford’s—I mean of Mr. Rand’s.”
“And I know by what means he acquired it,” thought Margaret. “It may be that—but I must see Jacob first.”
From this moment Margaret became restless. She felt that she could not be at peace till the issue was decided. She determined once more to appeal to Jacob, and ascertain beyond a doubt whether the statement which he had made respecting their marriage was really true, or only fabricated to vex her. This question must first be decided, and then—why then she would be guided by circumstances.
She rose from her seat, and threw her shawl over her shoulders.
“Where are you going?” asked Martha, pausing in her work.
“I must go. I have something to do which cannot be delayed.”
“But are you able to go out?” questioned the seamstress.
“Perhaps not; but it would do me more harm to remain here, feeling that I ought to be elsewhere, that things might go wrong without me, than the exposure and exertion of going out.”