"If his liking, or his
caprice even," thought Faversham passionately, "chooses to make me his
heir, he has every right to give, and I to accept. I am a stranger to
him; so, in all but the physical sense, is his daughter. But I am not a
stranger to English life. My upbringing and experience--even such as they
are--are better qualifications than hers. What can a girl of twenty,
partly Italian, brought up away from England, hardly speaking her
father's tongue, do for this English estate, compared to what I could
do--with a free hand, and a million to draw on? Whom do I wrong by
accepting what a miraculous chance has brought me--by standing by it--by
fighting for it? No one--justly considered. And I will fight for
it--though a hundred Tathams call me adventurer!"
So much for the root determination of the man; the result of weeks of
excited brooding over wealth, and what can be done with wealth, amid
increasing difficulties and problems from all sides.
His determination indeed did not protect him from the attacks of
conscience; of certain moral instincts and prepossessions, that is,
natural to a man of his birth and environment.
The mind, however, replied to them glibly enough. "I shall do the just
and reasonable thing! As I promised Tatham, I shall look into the story
of these two women, and if it is what it professes to be, I shall press
Melrose to provide for them."
Conscience objected: "If he refuses?"
"They can enforce their claim legally, and I shall make him realize it.
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