professor found in him a vein of sentiment which was attractive. He had
a passion for his only daughter which appealed to Quarles, partly, no
doubt, because it made him think of Zena, and there was a strain of
melancholy in him which made him apprehensive that his wealth would not
be altogether for his daughter's good. He had talked in this way to
Quarles. For all we knew to the contrary, conscience may have been
pricking him, but the fact remained that he was prophetic.

Wherever and in whatever way Ewart Wilkinson made his money, he
undoubtedly had it. He rented a house in Mayfair, and purchased
Whiteladies in Berkshire. The Elizabethan house, built on to the partial
ruins of an old castle, has no doubt attracted many of you when motoring
through South Berkshire. Having bought a beautiful home, he looked for a
beautiful wife to put in it. Perhaps she was in the nature of a purchase,
too, for he married Miss Lavory, the only daughter of Sir Miles Lavory,
Bart., who put his pride in his pocket when he consented to an alliance
with mere millions. It was said that Miss Lavory was driven into the
match, but however this may be, Ewart Wilkinson proved a devoted husband,
and his wife had ten years of a happy married life in the midst of
luxury. She died when her daughter was eight.

For ten years after her mother's death Eva Wilkinson and her father were
hardly ever separated, and then Ewart Wilkinson died suddenly. He left
practically the whole of his vast fortune to his daughter; and her uncle,
Mrs. Wilkinson's brother Michael, who had recently succeeded his father
in the baronetcy, was left her guardian. There was a curious clause in
the will. Wilkinson, possibly because one or two cases had happened in
America at the time the will was made--half a dozen years before his
death--seemed particularly afraid that the heiress might be kidnaped,
and her guardian was enjoined to watch over her in this respect