The New Magdalen

Lady Janet opened a drawer, and took out her check-book.

The moment of relief had come at last! The only question now left to

discuss was evidently the question of amount. Lady Janet considered a

little. The question of amount was (to her mind) in some sort a question

of conscience as well. Her love for Mercy and her loathing for Grace,

her horror of seeing her darling degraded and her affection profaned

by a public exposure, had hurried her--there was no disputing it--into

treating an injured woman harshly. Hateful as Grace Roseberry might be,

her father had left her, in his last moments, with Lady Janet's full

concurrence, to Lady Janet's care. But for Mercy she would have been

received at Mablethorpe House as Lady Janet's companion, with a salary

of one hundred pounds a year. On the other hand, how long (with such a

temper as she had revealed) would Grace have remained in the service of

her protectress? She would probably have been dismissed in a few weeks,

with a year's salary to compensate her, and with a recommendation to

some suitable employment. What would be a fair compensation now? Lady

Janet decided that five years' salary immediately given, and future

assistance rendered if necessary, would represent a fit remembrance

of the late Colonel Roseberry's claims, and a liberal pecuniary

acknowledgment of any harshness of treatment which Grace might have

sustained at her hands. At the same time, and for the further satisfying

of her own conscience, she determined to discover the sum which Grace

herself would consider sufficient by the simple process of making Grace

herself propose the terms.

"It is impossible for me to make you an offer," she said, "for this

reason--your need of money will depend greatly on your future plans. I

am quite ignorant of your future plans.'' "Perhaps your ladyship will kindly advise me?" said Grace, satirically.

"I cannot altogether undertake to advise you," Lady Janet replied. "I

can only suppose that you will scarcely remain in England, where you

have no friends. Whether you go to law with me or not, you will surely

feel the necessity of communicating personally with your friends in

Canada. Am I right?"

Grace was quite quick enough to understand this as it was meant.

Properly interpreted, the answer signified--"If you take your

compensation in money, it is understood, as part of the bargain that you

don't remain in England to annoy me."

"Your ladyship is quite right," she said. "I shall certainly not remain

in England. I shall consult my friends--and," she added, mentally, "go

to law with you afterward, if I possibly can, with your own money!"

"You will return to Canada," Lady Janet proceeded; "and your prospects

there will be, probably, a little uncertain at first. Taking this into

consideration, at what amount do you estimate, in your own mind, the

pecuniary assistance which you will require?"