The sum of money left to her by her husband had by that time been paid into her own hands, and she had opened a banker's account.
The revenues from the Scotch estate,--some L4,000 a year,--were clearly her own for life.

The family diamond-necklace was still in her possession, and no answer had been given by her to a postscript to a lawyer's letter in which a little advice had been given respecting it.

At the end of another year, when she had just reached the age of twenty-two, and had completed her second year of widowhood, she was still Lady Eustace, thus contradicting the prophecy made by the dean's wife.

It was then spring, and she had a house of her own in London.

She had broken openly with Lady Linlithgow.