But for mother I'd fight the thing in the courts and then give Molly her
share outright and let her marry the miller."
The lawyer shook his head slowly, with his eyes on Mrs. Gay. "Before all
else we must consider your mother," he answered.
For the first time Kesiah spoke. "I am quite willing to take the girl
when Reuben dies," she said, "but why in the world did he put in that
foolish clause about her living with Jonathan and myself?"
Without looking at her Mr. Chamberlayne answered almost sharply. "The
whole truth of the matter is that there was a still more absurd idea
in his mind, dear lady," he replied. "I may as well let you know it
now since I combated it uselessly in my last interview with him. At the
bottom of his heart Jonathan remained incorrigibly romantic until his
death, and he clung desperately to the hope that if Molly received
the education he intended her to have, her beauty and her charm, which
seemed to him very remarkable, might win his nephew's affections, if
she were thrown in his way. That in short, is the secret meaning of this
extraordinary document."
The uncomfortable silence was broken by a laugh as Gay rose to his feet.
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