"Yet I understand that there was no mention of her in his will."
"This omission was entirely on your mother's account. The considerable
property--representing a third of his entire estate--which was left in
trust to me for a secret purpose, will go, of course, to the girl. In
the last ten years this property has practically doubled in value, and
Molly will take possession of the income from it when she reaches her
twenty-first birthday. The one condition is that at Reuben's death she
shall live with your aunt."
"Ah," said Jonathan, "I begin to see."
"At the time, of course, he believed that your mother would survive
him only a few months, and his efforts to shield her from any painful
discoveries extended even after his death. His wish was that the
girl should be well educated and prepared for any change in her
circumstances--but unfortunately she has proved to be rather a wilful
young person, and it has been impossible entirely to fulfil his
intentions with regard to her. Ah, he wasn't wise always, poor Jonathan,
but I never doubted that he meant well at bottom, however things
may have appeared.
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