"On the contrary. His silence has been bought—that's what people say.
Mr. Melrose has bribed him to do his work, and defend his iniquities."
"Oh! Is that fair?" The humble-bee was so hastily poked on to his legs that he tumbled over again.
"Well, now, we shall test him!" said Victoria quietly. "We shall see what he does with regard to Mrs. Melrose and her daughter. Harry will have told you how he went to him yesterday. We had a telephone message this morning to say that a letter would reach us this afternoon from Mr. Faversham. Harry will bring it on here; and I asked him to bring Felicia Melrose with him in the car. We thought you would be interested to see her."
There was a pause. At last Lydia said slowly:
"How will you test Mr. Faversham? I don't understand."
"Unless the man is an adventurer," said Victoria, straightening her shoulders, "he will, of course, do his best to put this girl—who is the rightful heiress—into her proper place. What business has he with Mr. Melrose's estates?"
Lady Tatham spoke with imperious energy.
Lydia's eyes showed an almost equal animation.
"May he not share with her? Aren't they immense?"
"At present he takes everything—so they say. It looks ugly. A complete stranger—worming himself in a few weeks or months into an old man's confidence—and carrying off the inheritance from a pair of helpless women! And making himself meanwhile the tool of a tyrant!—aiding and abetting him in all his oppressions!"