"My dear Nick, you'll find that it'll take a great deal to kill a woman. Yes, she lived and enjoyed a fair amount of health. I suppose, too, that her conduct improved, at least I was told so; still, as I said, I found her difficult to manage." "But you did manage her?" "When I set my mind on a thing I generally do get my own way; but I think it would have been impossible in this case but for mother." "What, granny?" "Yes, she took the matter in hand, and together we got on fairly well." "Yes, but by what means did you establish a claim on her sympathies? She had other relations!" "It would take a long time to tell. Indeed, it has been a work of years. I've had to visit Trevose many times, and have suffered more abuse than I care to tell about. However, before she died the will was made all right." "How?" asked Nick, eagerly. "Well, in this way. Everything is given to Naomi, and I am constituted her sole guardian. She cannot marry until she's twenty-one without my consent." "I see." "If she dies everything comes to me." "What!" "Yes, mother worked that. I despaired of reaching that point; but you know what your granny is. She pleaded that I was a cousin, and a hundred other things. Besides, mother has a strange power over people." "Then it seems to me everything is safe." "Yes, if matters go right. She is now eighteen; if you marry her before she's twenty-one all's well, but if not, then when she arrives at that age the lawyer who has to do with the estates will naturally want everything accounted for. Naomi's a sharp girl, and I shall have to give an account of my stewardship." "Her mother was a Catholic, I suppose?" "Yes, that was a difficult point. Still we promised that Naomi's religious views should not be interfered with, and also that a priest shall visit the house occasionally." "He will want her to marry a Catholic." "Undoubtedly; but, honestly, I don't believe Naomi troubles about the fine distinction in religious beliefs. The priest wanted to persuade her mother that the child ought to be placed in Mawgan Convent, and her property given to the Church. I thought once the wily rascal would have succeeded, but fortunately mother was in the house at the time." They sat for some little time without speaking; then Richard Tresidder spoke again. "You are a bit in love with her, arn't you, Nick?" "More than a little bit, and she knows it, too." "Well, be careful, my boy, be very careful. If we can get Trevose--well, it's a nice thing, isn't it? But we must be careful. You are no fool, Nick; Naomi has her little weaknesses like other folks; find 'em out and humour 'em. Now you know how things are, and we must be going or we shall be caught by the tide. There'll be a high tide to-night, too."