CHAPTER LIV.
THE NEXT NIGHT.
Mr. Bratt found no difficulty in the way of the interview, for
Mr. Redmain had given Mewks instructions he dared not disobey:
his master had often ailed, and recovered again, and he must not
venture too far! As soon as he had shown the visitor into the
room he was dismissed, but not before he had satisfied himself
that he was a lawyer. He carried the news at once to Sepia, and
it wrought no little anxiety in the house. There was a will
already in existence, and no ground for thinking a change in it
boded anything good. Mr. Mortimer never deigned to share his
thoughts, anxieties, or hopes with any of his people; but the
ladies met in deep consultation, although of course there was
nothing to be done. The only operative result was that it let
Sepia know how, though for reasons somewhat different, her
anxiety was shared by the others: unlike theirs, her sole desire
was--_not_ to be mentioned in the will: that could only be
for the sake of leaving her a substantial curse! Mr. Redmain's
utter silence, after, as she well knew, having gathered damning
facts to her discredit, had long convinced her he was but biding
his time. Certain she was he would not depart this life without
leaving his opinion of her and the proofs of its justice behind
him, carrying weight as the affidavit of a dying man. Also she
knew Hesper well enough to be certain that, however she might
delight in oppostion to the desire of her husband, she would for
the sake of no one carry that opposition to a point where it
became injurious to her interests.
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