The pirate was in his element. Far from disliking such publicity he gloried in it, and turned it, to good account. Money was what he wanted, and money was what he intended to get--as much as he could conveniently screw of this person and that. He charged for interviews; he had his photograph sold in the streets and in shops; he swanked and swaggered all over the place with a view to impress everyone with his importance. And he succeeded; for the case caused such a sensation that an enterprising music-hall manager offered the buccaneer an engagement at a large weekly salary. Mr. Lemby, therefore, appeared in a kind of Captain Kidd costume to relate wild adventures in the South Seas and in Australia. Both Edwin and Claudia were horribly ashamed. As for Mrs. Craver, her indignation knew no bounds. "What kind of a man is this," she wrathfully demanded, "to have such a daughter as you, Claudia? People didn't do these things when I was a girl." "It won't last long," replied Claudia with a sigh. "Very soon the novelty will wear off, and then father will go back to Australia." "I'm sure I shall be glad." said the little lady, drawing herself up in a dignified way. "And I don't mean any disrespect to you, my dear, when I say so. You are a sweet girl, and will make Edwin an ideal wife. Your father is fascinating in some ways, and has many good qualities. All the same, he should not try and make capital out of this dreadful case." Claudia quite agreed with this view. But it was impossible to stop the pirate from taking every advantage of what had happened. As he had entered upon this new career within a week from the death of Lady Wyke, he was absent from Hedgerton and did not remain to worry her. That was something gained, as she had Edwin to herself, and in many ways was perfectly happy. After the storm had come the sunshine, and now that there was no bar to their union the young couple determined to get married as soon as possible. Only when she was Mrs. Craver junior did Claudia feel that she would be safe from the vagaries of her piratical father. The Rector and his wife were both shocked when they learnt the truth. In fact, the whole parish was shocked, as everyone knew Laura Bright, although, as Lady Wyke, she was a comparative stranger to the friends of her youth. Poor Mrs. Mellin wept at the outset over her sister's terrible fate; but when she learnt that it was Laura that had tried to kill Neddy she dried her tears and refused to mourn. People talked to her and asked questions, but the old washerwoman behaved with great dignity, and declined to say a word about the dead. She could not say good and she did not wish to say bad, so she wisely held her tongue, and was greatly commended for her reticence by Mrs. Craver, who approved of her attitude.