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ed the other children was settled by him, in concert with the mother. The Rector never interfered, was never indeed consulted, except on purely formal matters of business. But for her--for her only--Uncle Richard--as she always called her guardian--was to be the master--the tyrant!--close at hand. For so Sir Ralph had laid it down, in his testamentary letter--"I commend Hester to your special care. And in any difficulties that may arise in connection with her, I beg for our old friendship's sake that you will give my wife the help and counsel that she will certainly need. She knows it is my wish she should rely entirely upon you."
Why had he written such a letter? Since Sir Ralph's death, two years before, the story of it had got about; and the injustice, as she held, of her position under it had sunk deep into the girl's passionate sense, and made her infinitely more difficult to manage than she had been before. Of course everybody said it was because of her temper; because of the constant friction between her and her father; people believed the hateful things he used sometimes to say about her.
Nor was it only the guardianship--there was the money too! Provision made for all of them by name--and nothing for her! She had made Sarah show her a copy of the will--she knew! Nothing indeed for any of them--the girls at least--till Lady Fox-Wilton's death, or till they married; but nothing for her, under any circumstances.
"Well, why should there be?" Sarah had said. "You know you'll have Aunt Alice's money. She won't leave a penny to us."
All very well! The money didn't matter! But to be singled out and held up to scorn by your own father!
A flood of bitterness surged in the girl's heart. And then they expected her to be a meek and obedient drudge to her mother and her elder sisters; to open her mouth and take what they chose to send her. She might not be engaged to Stephen--for two years at any rate; and yet if she amused herself with any one else she was to be pa