It was not a sacrifice; it was an honour! For one thing the old man stipulated, or rather bargained.

He had managed his niece's affairs so far with great success; some of her money was in land, in Oakdean and Rickfort, for example; the rest he had invested securely, as he hoped and believed.

If he might still be acknowledged as her guardian?
Sir Maurice, of course, gave in.

Thoroughly ashamed and humiliated by the whole affair--he, the man, without a penny; she, the woman, possessed of all things in that line--it gave him genuine relief to tell her uncle that he would be actually thankful if he would still continue to be the head of her affairs, and manage her money matters, as he had managed them hitherto--and always with such happy results.
Mr.Bolton had bowed to him over his spectacles; his curious gray eyes caught a little addition of light, as it were.

He was honoured by Sir Maurice's confidence, but, if he might suggest it, he thought that whilst Sir Maurice's affairs were righting themselves, he ought to allow himself a certain income out of his wife's money.
But Rylton would not hear of it.