There was a slight, only a very slight difference of opinion between Lady Darrell and her aunt after the reading of the will. Lady Hampton would fain have given up the Elms, and have gone to live at Darrell Court. "Sir Oswald's will is a very just one," she said, "admirable in every respect; but I should never dream, were I in your place, Elinor, of keeping that proud girl here. Let her go. I will come and live with you. I shall make a better chaperon than that poor, faded Miss Hastings." But Lady Darrell was eager to taste the sweets of power, and she knew how completely her aunt would take every vestige of it from her. She declared her intention to adhere most strictly to the terms of the will. "And, aunt," she continued, with firmness quite new to her, "it would be so much better, I think, for you to keep at the Elms. People might make strange remarks if you came here to live with me." Lady Hampton was shrewd enough to see that she must abide by her niece's decision. The captain was to remain only two days at Darrell Court, and Lady Darrell was anxious to spend some little time with him. "I like the captain, aunt," she said; "he amuses me." Lady Hampton remembered how she had spoken of him before, and it was not her intention that her beautiful niece should fling away herself and her magnificent fortune on Aubrey Langton. "She is sure to marry again," thought the lady; "and, dowered as she is, she ought to marry a duke, at least." She represented to her that it was hardly etiquette for her, a widow so young, and her loss being so recent, to entertain a handsome young officer. "I do not see that the fact of his being handsome makes any difference, aunt," said Lady Darrell; "still, if you think I must remain shut up in my room while the captain is here, of course, I will remain so, though it seems very hard." "Appearances are everything," observed Lady Hampton, sagely; "and you cannot be too careful at first." "Does he seem to pay Pauline any attention?" asked the young widow, eagerly. "I have never heard them exchange more than a few words--indeed the circumstance has puzzled me, Elinor. I have seen him look at her as though he worshiped her and as though he hated her. As for Miss Darrell, she seems to treat him with contemptuous indifference." "I used to think he liked her," said Lady Darrell, musingly. "He liked the future heiress of Darrell Court," rejoined Lady Hampton. "All his love has gone with her prospects, you may rely upon it." Lady Darrell, brought up in a school that would sacrifice even life itself for the sake of appearances, knew there was no help for her enforced retirement. She remained in her rooms until the young officer had left the Court.