o; and he will draw his own conclusions, and make
you sign them."

"I do not want to be made to sign anything."

"Do it of free-will then," said Mrs. Powle laughing. "It is coming,
Eleanor--one way or the other. If I were you, I would do it gracefully.
Is it a hard thing to be Lady Rythdale?"

Eleanor did not say, and nothing further passed on the subject; till as
both parties were leaving the room together, Mrs. Powle said
significantly,

"You must give your own answer, Eleanor, and to-night. I will have no
skulking."

It was beyond Mrs. Powle's power, however, to prevent skulking of a
certain sort. Eleanor did not hide herself in her room, but she left it
late in the afternoon, when she knew the company consisted of more than
one, and entered a tolerably well filled drawing-room. Mrs. Powle had
not wished to have it so, but these things do not arrange themselves
for our wishes. Miss Broadus was there, and Dr. Cairnes, and friends
who had come to make him and his sister a visit; and one or two other
neighbours. Eleanor came in without making much use of her eyes, and
sheltered herself immediately under the wing of Miss Broadus, who was
the first person she fell in with. Two pairs of eyes saw her entrance;
with oddly enough the same thought and comment. "She will make a lovely
Lady Rythdale." All the baronesses of that house had been famous for
their beauty, and the heir of the house remarked to himself that _this_
would prove not the least lovely of the race. However, Eleanor did not
even feel sure that he was there, he kept at such a distance; and she
engaged Miss Broadus in a conversation that seemed of interminable
resources. The sole thing that Eleanor was conscious of concerning it,
was its lasting quality; and to maintain that was her only care.

Would Eleanor be Lady Rythdale? she had made up her mind to nothing,
except, that it would be very difficult for her to say either yes or
no. Naturally enough, she dreaded the being obliged to say anything;
and was ready to seize every expedient to stave off the moment of
emergency. As long as she was talking to Miss Broadus, she was safe;
but conversations cannot last always, even when they flow in a stream
so full and copious as that in which the words always poured from that
lady's lips. Eleanor saw signs at last that the fountain was getting
exhausted; and as the next resort proposed a game of chess. Now a game
of chess was the special delight of Miss Broadus;