The Lady in Blue by Fred M. White

"Now that is just where you are wrong," Clutton said. "When Belmont Fletcher was here two years ago he made a perfect fool of himself over Blanche Trevenner. She is nearly old enough to be his mother, but that's a detail. He was just wild to marry her, and loaded her with all sorts of costly presents. He had recently succeeded to his fortune then, and was little better than a raw Western hayseed, as I think they express it out there. The old man made his money out of timber. But young Fletcher was no fool, and the last time he went back to the States he fell in love with an American girl and married her. It was about this time that Blanche Trevenner took the Maidenhead cottage on a lease. She was very careful that the lease should be properly drawn up by a leading firm of solicitors, for, whatever she may be, she has always taken care of her reputation, and no one can fling a stone at her in that respect. She has got plenty of foresight, too. So long as she could flaunt that lease in people's faces she has got a home over her head that can never be touched. But, as a matter of fact, Belmont Fletcher made the whole show over to her by deed of gilt."

"Is that an absolute certainty?" Murray Ellis asked.