She had received, while still in Naples, a letter from the family lawyer, giving her such details of the will as it was necessary that she should know, and now she longed to ask questions, to have her belongings made plain to her, and to realise her wealth.
She had brilliant prospects; and yet, through it all, there was a sense of loneliness that nearly killed her.

Would it not have been much better if her husband had lived, and still worshipped her, and still allowed her to read poetry to him?
But she had read no poetry to him after that affair of Messrs.

Harter and Benjamin.
The reader has, or will have, but little to do with these days, and may be hurried on through the twelve, or even twenty-four months which followed the death of poor Sir Florian.

The question of the heirship, however, was very grave, and early in the month of May Lady Eustace was visited by her husband's uncle, Bishop Eustace, of Bobsborough.

The bishop had been the younger brother of Sir Florian's father,--was at this time a man about fifty, very active and very popular,--and was one who stood high in the world, even among bishops.