She took possession of his wealth, feeling herself honestly entitled to it, purchased a handsome house in the city, and brought her old mother from the country to live with her, while the friendly Mrs. Mason was duly installed as her housekeeper.
In the meantime Fanny had paid several visits to Lily Lawrence, and the two young creatures had exchanged numberless congratulations with each other on the happy termination of their mutual trials.
"I never should have recognized you, my dear," Lily said frankly at their first meeting, "if Mr. Shelton had not informed me who was coming. When I first saw you I could not believe that you were not an old woman. Now you have grown young and pretty."
Fanny laughed and blushed at the compliment, and it only made her more attractive. In truth, she deserved Lily's praise.
Her clear, dark complexion began to glow with health and strength. Her softly rounded cheeks had a soft tint glowing on them like the heart of a sea-shell.
She had beautiful eyes, large, dark and expressive, and her black hair, which Mrs. Mason had shingled close to her head, now clustered in short, silky rings about her brow, adding a charming piquancy to her pretty face.
Her dress, too, was always as perfectly elegant as wealth and taste could make it, so that many more beside Lily Lawrence considered the dark-eyed widow young and pretty.
Mr. Shelton was among the number of those who agreed with Lily.
The forlorn young creature whom he had rescued and cared for had begun to twine herself about his heart.
He was a bachelor, and forty years old, but his heart was not proof against Cupid's darts.