She had lost her husband shortly after the
birth of her only child, and continued to live at Naples, whither Sir
George had been taken, in the vain hope of prolonging his life. A short
time after Sir George Verner's death, and while his child was almost an
infant, Lady Verner's villa was robbed, and the little girl, with her
nurse, disappeared. The general theory was, that the nurse had connived
at the robbery, and gone off with the thieves; and being, after the
fashion of Italian nurses, extraordinarily fond of the child, had
refused to be parted from her. Be that as it may, the nurse and child
were never heard of again, and though the case was put into the hands
of the cleverest of the police, in Paris and London, no discovery has
ever been made. Lady Verner fell into a state of hopeless melancholy,
in which she continued for many years, and during that period, of
course, her wealth accumulated, and is now very great indeed. I see by
your face, Miss Brewer, that you are growing impatient, and are
disposed to wonder what the family history of the Dales, and the
troubles of Lady Verner, have to do with Paulina Durski and our designs
for her future. Bear with my explanation a little longer, and you will
perceive the importance of the connection between them."
Miss Brewer gave her shoulders a slight shrug, expressive of supreme
resignation, and Victor continued.
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