"I suppose it'll do," she said to herself. "He'll know
what it means." And so the letter was sent.
CHAPTER XVI
CERTAINLY AN HEIRLOOM
The burden of his position was so heavy on Lord Fawn's mind that, on the
Monday morning after leaving Fawn Court, he was hardly as true to the
affairs of India as he himself would have wished. He was resolved to do
what was right--if only he could find out what would be the right thing in
his present difficulty. Not to break his word, not to be unjust, not to
deviate by a hair's breadth from that line of conduct which would be
described as "honourable" in the circle to which he belonged; not to give
his political enemies an opportunity for calumny--this was all in all to
him. The young widow was very lovely and very rich, and it would have
suited him well to marry her. It would still suit him well to do so, if
she would make herself amenable to reason and the laws. He had assured
himself that he was very much in love with her, and had already, in his
imagination, received the distinguished heads of his party at Portray
Castle. But he would give all this up--love, income, beauty, and castle--
without a doubt, rather than find himself in the mess of having married a
wife who had stolen a necklace, and who would not make restitution.
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