“I think,” she went on in a methodical way—“I think Major Desmond did me the kindness to mention to you and Captain D’Arcy-Muir an idea I had concerning Boy——”
“Oh yes, a most absurd idea,” interposed Mrs. D’Arcy-Muir, with quite a solemn reproach in her voice. “Pardon me for saying so, Letitia, but I really am surprised at you. A preposterous idea!—to separate my boy from me!”
“You mistake,” answered Miss Leslie; “I had no wish to separate you. You would have seen quite as much of Boy as you see now, or as you will see when in the natural course of things you send him to school. My sole desire in the proposition I made, and which I asked Major Desmond to explain, was to benefit your dear little child in every possible way. I am all alone in the world——”
“Yes, I know! So sad!” put in Mrs. D’Arcy-Muir in a tone of commiseration that was almost an insult.
“And I have a large fortune,” pursued Miss Letty with unruffled composure: “when my time comes to die, I shall probably leave more than one-hundred-thousand pounds——”
“No! You don’t say so! Really, Letitia, you are indeed fortunate! Why ever don’t you marry? There are lots of poor fellows who would only be too delighted.”
“We can pass that question,” said Miss Leslie patiently. “What I wish to point out to you is that I am what the world calls a fairly wealthy woman, and that if you could see your way to letting me adopt Boy and educate him, everything I possessed would be his at my death.”
“Oh, I don’t wonder at all,” said Mrs. D’Arcy-Muir expansively, “that you have taken such a fancy to my boy! That’s quite natural. And really, Letitia, if you don’t know how to dispose of your fortune otherwise, I cannot imagine anything more pleasant for you than to make him your heir. But to adopt him for the purpose of educating him according to your notions! Oh dear no! It would never do!”
“If he is not educated according to my notions he will certainly not be my heir,” said Miss Letty very firmly. “He is just now at an age when anything can be done with him. Give me leave to take him out of the radius of his father’s unfortunate example, and surround him with all that is healthy and good and useful, and I am sure you will not regret it.”
“Dear me! I am so sorry for you!” and “Muzzy” smiled blandly; “I feel for you with all my heart, and I quite understand your wish to have Boy! It would be delightful for you, but I cannot possibly hear of it! I am his mother,—I could not part with him under any circumstances whatever!”