It was the day before the poor boy's funeral, and John Temple was expected at Woodlea early on the following morning. There was, therefore, no time to lose. So Mrs. Layton plucked up her courage and entered her daughter's apartment, determined to speak her mind. Mrs. Temple was standing at one of the windows gazing listlessly out. She could not rest, and her handsome face was lined and drawn with her mental sufferings. She looked years older since her boy's death, and she glanced round as her mother entered the room without speaking. "Well, my dear," said Mrs. Layton, "how are you feeling now?" "How can you ask?" answered the unhappy woman, "when everything is ended for me--that is how I feel." "But, my dear Rachel, this is folly; everything is not ended for you, and you have, I am sure, many years of happy life before you yet." "Happy life! Very happy life--alone in the world." "You may not always be alone, Rachel, and I have come here just now, my dear, especially to speak of your future." "I have no future." "My dear child, yes; you have had a great loss--" "No one knows what he was to me!" interrupted Mrs. Temple, passionately, and she began to wander up and down the room wringing her hands as she went. "My darling, my boy, and to think that after to-morrow I shall see him no more--that they will take away from me even what is left!" "Rachel, has Mr. Temple told you that--his nephew is coming to-morrow?" "No," replied Mrs. Temple, listlessly. "He is, then--Mr. John Temple--who, of course, is now Mr. Temple's successor." "Is he coming so quickly to take my darling's place!" cried Mrs. Temple, with a sudden flash of indignation. "But what matter, what matter!" "It is a matter, my dear, and it is about this that I wish to speak to you. When you married, the Hall was not included in your settlement, as I now see that it ought to have been, but--we could not foresee your sad loss. Now this young man will succeed Mr. Temple, but he ought not to have the Hall in your lifetime. That must be secured to you, and before this young man arrives I think Mr. Temple ought to be spoken to on the subject, and I should advise you to exert yourself, my dear, and prevent young Mr. Temple gaining an undue influence over your husband." Mrs. Temple fixed her large dark eyes on her mother's face. "What are you talking of?" she said. "I am telling you, my dear Rachel, only you do not seem to attend to what I am saying, that this young man is coming, who is now your husband's heir, and naturally he will try to obtain power over his uncle, which you should not allow. And, as I told you before, this house is not settled on you, therefore--" "Be silent, mother, be silent!" cried Mrs. Temple with strong indignation, lifting up her hands. "What, when my darling's not gone from it yet--when he is still under the roof--you talk of such things! You always were a wicked, worldly woman, but this is too much--too much!"