CLASSIC CRIMES
attracted to the rich and beautiful young widow is not surpris-
ing; what Florence Ricardo saw desirable in the West Indian
relict is another story. Be the fact as it may, it was, for
her, a fatal hour when she first set eyes upon the uninviting
countenance of Jane Cannon Cox. That lady had indeed,
as the phrase is, fallen on her feet. She passed at once from
toil and penury to a luxurious and easy life. The housekeep-
ing at The Priory was on a lavish scale: men and maidservants
in plenty, horses and carriages enow; all the amenities of a
wealthy middle-class Victorian home: verily, the ex-gover-
ness had secured what is vulgarly termed a soft job, one which
she was little likely voluntarily to relinquish. And she was
not treated as a dependent; her footing was that of a dear and
valued friend (plus the salary); the ladies called each other
by their Christian names.
Now it came to pass that one day Jane was moved to
pay a visit of gratitude to Mr. Joseph Bravo, her benefactor;
and Florence drove her up to town, arranging to call for her
later. When the carriage returned to Palace Green, Mrs.
Bravo invited Mrs. Ricardo to come in; she did so, and was
by Mrs. Cox introduced to the family, including the son of
the house, who happened (for his sins) to be present.
Soon afterwards, -when the ladies went to Brighton for a
change, whom should they meet in the King's Road but
young Charles Bravo, who had followed them from town.
So rapidly did the acquaintance ripen that when in the autumn
the Brighton episode terminated, Charles and Florence had
become engaged. The path of true love presenting none
of the customary obstacles—the widow was handsomely
dowered, and Mr. Joseph Bravo settled on his stepson
£20,000, payable on the death of the last surviving parent—
there was nothing to delay their happiness, so the couple were
married in a month. The sole discordant note was struck by
Mrs. Bravo senior, who disliked her daughter-in-law from the
first, and declined to attend the wedding. But the beautiful
bride did not trouble her head about the old lady's maternal
jealousy. The honeymoon was spent at Brighton, and after a
duty visit to their respective people, the happy pair took up?
house at The Priory in the beginning of January 1876. They^
were welcomed home by the faithful Mrs. Cox, for Florenote
^(,