my advantage to please the idle fancy of a man who would not hesitate to stoop to perform any act however dastardly, so that he could effectually escape the penalty of a crime he was ready to profit by, but cowardly enough to shrink from the consequences it entailed?  You say that our interest in this affair is mutual,—­it is not so, and you know it.  You gain nineteen thousand a year, I only one.  Again, should the will by any mischance be found in my possession, who would believe my statement that you were a party concerned in the abstraction of the said deed, you would deny all knowledge of the transaction and my unsupported evidence could not commit you.  Of course you would lose the estate; but what would my condition be then.  No!  I have everything at stake—­you, comparatively nothing.  I will not accede to so absurd a proposition.”  There was a short pause, the widow resumed her embroidery with an air of apparent indifference.  The baronet sat abstractedly gazing out of the window, evidently turning over something in his mind.  As she had stated he had tried to wheedle her out of the papers, but she had hitherto, by great tact, adroitly managed to shift the conversation to some other subject, in a quiet and playful manner.  He was therefore not prepared for this vehement outburst; she had not only refused to comply with his demand, but taunted him with stinging words for his pusillanimous conduct.  He knew her great ambition, and that the sole object of her life was to become mistress of Vellenaux, and to gain this she would risk everything.  It was her weak point, the only vulnerable part he could attack with any hope of success.  He had for months pondered over this; it had this advantage, it is true, he thought a marriage would secure him in the possession of both the will and her silence; but then he hated her with a cordial hate.  He had been for years in her power.  During her residence at Vellenaux she had every want supplied, and was safe in her position.  With the only evidence of the fraud that had been practiced in her own keeping; she had outwitted him and had in reality obtained the best of the bargain.  The knowledge of this cut him to the quick and he detested her in consequence.

Yet his only chance of obtaining that which he so coveted was by an offer of marriage, not that he intended to fulfil any such promise, quite the reverse, it would be a lie, a villainous deception, but had he not willingly defrauded Miss Effingham out of her property? and what was one lie, more or less, it would be but diamond cut diamond, and turning the tables on Mrs. Fraudhurst.  All these thoughts flashed through his mind as he sat gazing out upon the sunny landscape below him, if it must be done, as well now as at any other time, perhaps better.  He at length arose, and after taking two or three turns up and down the apartment in order to nerve himself for action, stopped beside the chair of the fair widow.