In the next
place, Jane was sure to take a large share of the fortune. To that
Clem strongly objected, both on abstract grounds and because she
regarded Jane with a savage hatred--a hatred which had its roots
in the time of Jane's childhood, and which had grown in proportion
as the girl reaped happiness from life. The necessity of cloaking
this sentiment had not, you may be sure, tended to mitigate it.
Joseph said that there was no longer any fear of a speedy marriage
between Jane and Kirkwood, but that such a marriage would come off
some day,--if not prevented--Clem held to be a matter of
certainty. Sidney Kirkwood was a wide-awake young man; of course he
had his satisfactory reasons for delay. Now Clem's hatred of Sidney
was, from of old, only less than that wherewith she regarded Jane.
To frustrate the hopes of that couple would be a gratification worth
a good deal of risk.
She heard nothing of what had befallen Clara Hewett until the
latter's return home, and then not from her husband. Joseph and
Scawthorne, foiled by that event in an ingenious scheme which you
have doubtless understood (they little knowing how easily the
severance between Jane and Kirkwood might be effected), agreed that
it was well to get Clara restored to her father's household--for,
though it seemed unlikely, it was not impossible that she might in
one way or another aid their schemes--and on that account the
anonymous letter was despatched which informed John Hewett of his
daughter's position.
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