If she died single, or died childless, the
estate would revert to her cousin, Magdalen, the daughter of Mr.
Arthur Fairlie. If she married, with a proper settlement--or, in
other words, with the settlement I meant to make for her--the
income from the estate (a good three thousand a year) would,
during her lifetime, be at her own disposal. If she died before
her husband, he would naturally expect to be left in the enjoyment
of the income, for HIS lifetime. If she had a son, that son would
be the heir, to the exclusion of her cousin Magdalen. Thus, Sir
Percival's prospects in marrying Miss Fairlie (so far as his
wife's expectations from real property were concerned) promised
him these two advantages, on Mr. Frederick Fairlie's death: First,
the use of three thousand a year (by his wife's permission, while
she lived, and in his own right, on her death, if he survived
her); and, secondly, the inheritance of Limmeridge for his son, if
he had one.
So much for the landed property, and for the disposal of the
income from it, on the occasion of Miss Fairlie's marriage. Thus
far, no difficulty or difference of opinion on the lady's
settlement was at all likely to arise between Sir Percival's
lawyer and myself.
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