“Eleanor,” said he, laying his hand on her arm.  She looked up quickly, for he had never before so addressed her.  “Eleanor, you are unjust to me and to yourself, ask yourself have I ever deceived or broken faith with you since our compact after Sir Jasper’s death, and the answer must be in my favor.  You may say that I have acted coldly and kept aloof from you:  this I grant is true, but it has been forced upon me; I felt that the eyes of the world were upon us, watching our actions.  Your constant residence here has been talked of and cavelled at by some of the neighboring families, who have not recovered from the surprise they felt on hearing that Sir Jasper had died intestate and left his orphan niece unprovided for.  It was to prevent exposure that I have thus acted towards you, and I believe that I have effectually succeeded, and now I acknowledge that the charm of your society has become almost indispensable to me, and I will no longer be held back by the world’s opinion.  Listen to my proposal, accept it or reject it as you will, I make it with all sincerity.  Place the will of the late baronet in my hands, and before this day month you shall be my wife and mistress of the the manor.”

“And should I survive you,” she said, “Vellenaux and its broad lands—­”

“Reverts to Miss Effingham on condition that she allows you five thousand per annum and a suite of apartments in the west wing, during the remainder of your life, which you can have fitted up to suit your taste and convenience without delay, in case the contingency you mention should arise sooner than I anticipate.”

“And this you swear to fulfil to the letter,” she replied, advancing nearer and fixing her eyes upon him as if to read his inmost thoughts.

“On the day after our marriage I will cause a will to be drawn to that effect, this I swear to do by the honor of knighthood.”

Her countenance lit up and there was a sparkling brilliancy in her large black eyes as she said, “I believe you—­wait a few seconds and I will prove that I do.”  She then quitted the room, but did not keep him long in suspense; on re-entering she placed the parchment in his hands, saying as she did so, “Remember I now trust you, but beware how you betray that trust.”

He opened the document and glanced over it, to satisfy himself of its authenticity; his legal experience enabled him to decide at once that it was genuine.  “Eleanor.” he then said, taking her hand, “our interests are now identical, we cannot now but act in concert,” and raising her hand to his lips, he bowed courteously to her and left the room by one door, while she passed out at another.

“I have carried my point, thought Sir Ralph as he entered his study, and before this day month I shall have sank both name and title, and be an alien from my native land.”

“I have carried my point at last,” exclaimed Mrs. Fraudhurst, as the door of her dressing room closed behind her; “before this day month I shall be Lady Coleman and mistress of Vellenaux.”