"That does me good, nurse," said the girl, clinging to her affectionately for a few moments, and then once more sitting up, to speak firmly. "It makes me feel after all that I am not alone, and that my dear, dead mother was right when she said, `Never part from Eliza. She is not our servant; she has always been our faithful, humble, trusty friend.'" The woman's face softened now, and a couple of tears stole down her cheeks. "Now, nurse, we must talk and make our plans. I wish I could see Mr Garstang, and ask his advice." "Do you like Mr Garstang, my dear?" said the woman, gently. "Yes; he is a gentleman. He seems to me the only one who can talk to me as what I am, and without thinking I am what they call me--an heiress." "But poor dear master never trusted Mr Garstang." "Perhaps he had no need to. He always treated him as a friend, and he has proved himself one to-day by the brave way in which he defended me, and spoke out to open my eyes to all this iniquity." "But dear master did not make him his executor." "How could he when he had his brother to think of? How could my dear father suspect that Uncle James would prove so base? It was a mistake. You ought to have heard Mr Garstang speak to-day." Eliza sighed. "I don't think I should put all my trust in Mr Garstang, my dear," she said. "Is not that prejudice, nurse?" "I hope not my dear; but my heart never warmed to Mr Garstang, and it has always felt very cold toward that young man, his stepson." "Harry Dasent? Well," said Kate, with a faint smile, "perhaps mine has been as cold. But why should we trouble about this? It would be no harm if I asked Mr Garstang's advice; but if we do not like it, nurse, we can take our own. One thing we decide upon at once: we will leave here." "Can we, my dear? You have money, but--" "Oh, don't talk about the hateful thing," cried the girl, passionately. "I must, my dear. We cannot take even a cottage without. This money is in your uncle's charge; you, as a girl under age, can not touch a penny without your Uncle James' consent." "But surely he can not keep me here against my will--a prisoner?" "I don't know, my dear," said the woman, with a sigh. "Then that is where we want help and advice--that is where Mr Garstang could assist me and tell me what to do." Eliza sighed. "Well, if the worst comes to the worst, I can take a humble place where you can keep house and do needlework to help, while I go out as daily governess." "You! A daily governess?" "Well," said the girl, proudly, "I can play--brilliantly, they say--I know three languages, and--" "You have a hundred and fifty thousand pounds in your own right." "What are a hundred and fifty thousand pounds to a miserable prisoner who is being persecuted? Liberty is worth millions, and come what may, I will be free."