He did look into them carefully, and felt convinced that Star stood next in line to Sir Charles.
He was deeply touched upon reading her father’s account of his mother, and his own early love.
Star had never shown it to him before. She had not liked to do so for several reasons, deeming it, for one, a sort of sacred trust from her father, and thinking also that it might sadden her kind friend.
“I cannot understand why, when her husband had been so kind and patient with her, under what must have been such trying circumstances, he should have been so harsh and unloving toward his boy for a mere difference of opinion,” he murmured, thoughtfully, while thinking of poor Albert Thornton’s banishment from home.
“Little girl,” he said to Star, “there is, I believe, a good deal in this for you, and we must sail for England immediately,” and Star felt her heart leap within her.
England was Lord Carrol’s home.
Then her lips had curled with scorn at her own folly, but she agreed at once to do whatever Mr. Rosevelt advised, and in a week they were again crossing the broad Atlantic.
Upon seeking an interview with Compton & Bailey and laying their case before them, they were gratified to learn that, although other claims had been filed, Star was the nearest of kin who had yet appeared to them.
The eminent lawyers at once set themselves to work to look up the case, found all the records to correspond with those in her possession, and finally pronounced her to be the heir to the Thornton property.
Star felt greatly surprised and troubled upon learning that Mrs. Richards was one of the claimants, for she had no desire to contest any question with her, or to appear to triumph over her in any way. She simply wished to let her alone—to drop her entirely out of her life.