No, she had her plan, that being to buy the place herself and give it to
him as a present. She had a little money of her own, which had come to
her from her mother, and already Lucy had approached the trustees on the
subject of reinvestment. They had demurred, it is true, her uncle, the
General, being strongly averse to any scheme giving Hector control over
his wife's property; but Lucy, as once before, had conquered, and
eventually he, with his co-trustee, had agreed. After all, they
decided, it was house property, this proposed new investment, and as
such allowable under the trust; and, at any rate, the General would take
good care that the place was settled upon his niece and that that
fellow, as he always designated Hector, should have no chance of laying
his hands on it. And so the matter had been left till Graeme's arrival.