They were most kindly received by Messrs. Capel & Armand, and after listening to Adrian’s explanation, and thoroughly examining the record, they fully agreed with him that Brownie was the person whom they were seeking.
They congratulated her upon her good fortune, telling her that there was a fine estate at Winchester, and also a handsome town house, which would now become hers, and that in her own right she possessed an independent fortune.
“How strange!” Brownie exclaimed, tearfully, when they were once more alone, and talking the matter over again, “that the little darling should be of my own kin.”
“It is, indeed, and I never thought of the coincidence of names when Sir Edgar and his wife came,” replied Adrian.
“I am so glad that he fell into our hands, instead of strangers; yet I grieve for the poor little fellow and his father, who was just in the prime of life. It is sad that my gain must come from poor Lady Douglas’ misfortune.”
“It is sad, dearest; and I was satisfied with my wife just as she was; but, I suppose, that this will go to prove to Mrs. Grundy that I have not made a mésalliance after all,” Adrian returned, somewhat scornfully.
“It never rains but it pours,” is the homely old adage, and the next day brought a lengthy epistle from Mr. Conrad, of Philadelphia, stating that the concern in which he had invested so much of Miss Mehetabel’s property had formed a new stock company, which had assumed all the obligations of the old one, which they would cancel at their earliest convenience.
It might be some time, he wrote, before they could make over the whole amount to her, but meantime, they would continue the interest on the whole, and make a yearly deposit in whatever bank she saw fit to designate, unless she should prefer to let her shares remain as they had been.
And, the honest lawyer added, things were beginning to look brighter to him, also, and he hoped to be able soon to do something for her on his own account.
One day, not long after, it was necessary for Brownie to go to Capel & Armand’s to sign some papers regarding her coming into possession of the estate at Winchester.