The effect of these conditions may be thus summed
up. If Lady Glyde died without leaving children, her half-sister
Miss Halcombe, and any other relatives or friends whom she might
be anxious to benefit, would, on her husband's death, divide among
them such shares of her money as she desired them to have. If, on
the other hand, she died leaving children, then their interest,
naturally and necessarily, superseded all other interests
whatsoever. This was the clause--and no one who reads it can
fail, I think, to agree with me that it meted out equal justice to
all parties.
We shall see how my proposals were met on the husband's side.
At the time when Miss Halcombe's letter reached me I was even more
busily occupied than usual. But I contrived to make leisure for
the settlement. I had drawn it, and had sent it for approval to
Sir Percival's solicitor, in less than a week from the time when
Miss Halcombe had informed me of the proposed marriage.
After a lapse of two days the document was returned to me, with
notes and remarks of the baronet's lawyer. His objections, in
general, proved to be of the most trifling and technical kind,
until he came to the clause relating to the twenty thousand
pounds.
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