Lady Eustace was taken to the palace, and in due time a
son was born. John, who was now the uncle of the heir, came down, and,
with the frankest good-humour, declared that he would devote himself to
the little head of the family. He had been left as guardian, and the
management of the great family estates was to be in his hands. Lizzie had
read no poetry to him, and he had never liked her, and the bishop did not
like her, and the ladies of the bishop's family disliked her very much,
and it was thought by them that the dean's people--the Dean of Bobsborough
was Lizzie's uncle--were not very fond of Lizzie since Lizzie had so
raised herself in the world as to want no assistance from them. But still
they were bound to do their duty by her as the widow of the late and the
mother of the present baronet. And they did not find much cause of
complaining as to Lizzie's conduct in these days. In that matter of the
great family diamond necklace, which certainly should not have been taken
to Naples at all, and as to which the jeweller had told the lawyer and the
lawyer had told John Eustace that it certainly should not now be detained
among the widow's own private property, the bishop strongly recommended
that nothing should be said at present.
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