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Updated: June 27, 2025
"You had best speak to Master Skyffington himself about the business," rejoined Sir Marmaduke, not heeding the mumbled apology, "he will be here anon." He turned abruptly away, and the young man once more left to himself, silently and mechanically moved again in the direction of the house.
Master Skyffington was earnestly gazing into the young girl's face, whilst he thus literally dangled before her the golden treasures of wealth, which were about to become absolutely her own.
"Hem! ... hem! ..." stammered Master Skyffington, "I ... that is ... hem ... I left Canterbury this morning and was on my way to Dover ... hem ... this lies on my way, ma'am ... and ..." "Yes! yes!" she said impatiently, "but you have some news, of course?" "News! ... news!" he muttered apologetically, and clutching at his collar, which seemed to be choking him, "what news er I pray you, ma'am?"
"Not your entire fortune, my dear, dear child, I hope ..." ejaculated Squire Boatfield, more horror-struck this time than he had been when first he had heard of the terrible murder. "The wallet contained my entire fortune," rejoined Sue calmly, "all that Master Skyffington had placed in my hands on the day that my father willed that it should be given me."
"You said, Master Skyffington, did you not," she said, "that after to-day no one had the slightest control over my actions or over my fortune?" "That is so, certainly," he rejoined, "but ..." "Well, then, kind master, I pray you," she said authoritatively, "to hand me over all those securities, grants and moneys, for which I have just signed a receipt."
But he was imbued with that deep respect for the family he had served all his life, which no conflict between privilege and people would ever eradicate, and though Mistress de Chavasse's origin was of the humblest, she was nevertheless herself now within the magic circle into which Master Skyffington never gazed save with the deepest reverence.
"That clew?" she insisted. "It was very slight," he stammered. "And it led to naught?" "Alas!" Her eagerness vanished. She sank back into her chair and moaned. "My last hope!" she said dully. "Nay! nay!" rejoined Master Skyffington quite cheerfully, his courage seemingly having risen with her despair. "We must not be despondent.
He declared himself ready to administer it all himself, as he professed a distrust of those who had watched over it so far Master Skyffington, the lawyer, and Sir Marmaduke de Chavasse, both under the control of the Court of Chancery.
Casting a quick, inquisitorial glance at Sue, he shrugged his shoulders in token of indifference and said no more. "Certainly, certainly," responded Master Skyffington, somewhat embarrassed, "my dear young lady ... hem ... as ... er ... as you wish ... but ..."
She was all agitation now, eager, excited, and herself went forward to meet the quaint, little wizened figure which appeared in the doorway. Master Skyffington, attorney-at-law, was small and thin looked doubly so, in fact, in the black clothes which he wore. His eyes were blue and watery, his manner peculiarly diffident.
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