Blind Love

Two days afterwards came a letter from the doctor. He did not think it

necessary to say anything about Fanny's appearance or her journey to

Borne. "Everything," he wrote, "has so far gone well. The world knows,

through the papers, that Lord Harry is dead. There will be now only the

business of claiming the money. For this purpose, as his widow is the

sole heiress and executrix, it will be necessary for her to place the

will and the policies of insurance in the hands of her husband's

lawyers, so that the will may be proved and the claims duly made. Forms

will have to be signed. The medical certificate of death and the forms

attesting the burial are already in the lawyers' hands. The sooner the

widow goes to London the better. She should write to announce her

arrival, and she should write from Paris as if she had been staying

there after her husband's death.

"I have only to remind you, my dear Linville, that you are indebted to

me in a good round sum. Of course, I shall be very pleased to receive a

cheque for this sum in full as soon as you have touched the amount due

to you. I shall be in Paris, at the Hotel Continental, where you may

address me. Naturally, there is no desire for concealment, and if the

Insurance Companies desire any information from me I am always ready

and willing to afford it."

Lord Harry gave this letter to his wife.

She read it, and laid it open in her lap.

"Must it be, Harry? Oh! must it be?"

"There is no other way possible, dear. But really, it is nothing. You

were not at Passy when your husband died. You had been in London--you

were in Brussels--anywhere; when you arrived it was all over; you have

seen his headstone. Dr. Vimpany had him in his care; you knew he was

ill, but you thought it was a trifling matter which time would cure;

you go to the lawyers and present the will. They have the policies, and

will do everything else; you will not even have to sign anything. The

only thing that you must do is to get a complete rig-out of widow's

weeds. Mind--there will not be the slightest doubt or question raised.

Considering everything, you will be more than justified in seeing no

one and going nowhere."

Hugh's letter breaking in upon her fool's paradise had awakened the

poor woman to her better self; she had gone so far with the fraud as to

acquiesce in it; but she recoiled with horror and shame when this

active part was forced upon her.