A week before his return Lord de Winter died, leaving me his sole heir.

Whence came the blow?
God who knows all, knows without doubt; but as for me, I accuse nobody." "Oh, what an abyss; what an abyss!" cried Felton.
"Lord de Winter died without revealing anything to his brother.

The terrible secret was to be concealed till it burst, like a clap of thunder, over the head of the guilty.

Your protector had seen with pain this marriage of his elder brother with a portionless girl.

I was sensible that I could look for no support from a man disappointed in his hopes of an inheritance.