Lydia's child, her own niece, her successor to Woodcote, how could she
leave her unacknowledged? How could she be silent about the discovery she
had made, even for a day? And as Miss Merivale thought this she stretched
her hand to the check-string, determining to drive at once to Lincoln's
Inn to see her lawyer.

But her hand dropped at her side. All his life Tom had thought of Woodcote
as his inheritance; every stone, every blade of grass, was dear to him. He
would have to leave it, to go out into the world to fight for his living.
How could she let him go? If she was silent, no one would be likely to
guess that Rhoda was Lydia's child. She was not mentioned by name in the
will. And she should not suffer. Ways and means of providing for her could
be found. But she could not have Woodcote. That was Tom's. It would break
Tom's heart to give it up.

As Miss Merivale thought of Tom her heart grew hard against Rhoda. She who
had never hated anyone felt herself in danger of hating Lydia's little
girl. Tears burst from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. She did not
think of wiping them away. She sat with her hands clasped on her lap,
staring miserably in front of her. What she was to do she did not know.




CHAPTER IV.

TOM AND RHODA MEET.


On the day of the Joachim concert Tom and Rose went up to London soon