“Yield--to give up Ronald? To meet him and never speak to him? To let him think I’m a false woman, and mansworn? I will never do that,” Lily said. “But you’ll no marry him, my lamb, without your uncle’s consent?” “He’ll not ask me!” cried Lily, desperate. “Why do you torment me when you know that is just the worst of all? Oh, if he would try me! And who is wanting to marry him--or any man? Certainly not me!” “If you were to give your uncle your word--if you were to say, ‘We’ll just meet at kirk and market and say good-even and good-morrow,’ but nae mair. Oh, Miss Lily, that is not much to yield to an old man.” “I said as good as that, but he made no answer. Beenie, pack up the things and let us go quietly away, for there is no help for us in any man.” “A’ the same, if I were you, I would try,” said Robina, taking the last word. Lily said nothing in reply; but that night, when she was returning with Sir Robert from a solemn party to which she had accompanied him, she made in the darkness some faltering essay at submission. “I would have to speak to him when we meet,” she said, “and I would have to tell him there was to be no more--for the present. And I would not take any step without asking you, Uncle Robert.” Sir Robert nearly sprang from his carriage in indignation at this halting obedience. “If you call that giving up your will to mine, I don’t call it so!” he cried. “‘Tell him there is to be no more--for the present!’ That is a bonnie kind of submission to me, that will have none of him at all.” “It is all I can give,” said Lily with spirit, drawing into her own corner of the carriage. Her heart was very full, but not to save her life could she have said more. “Very well,” said Sir Robert; “Haygate has his orders, and will see you off to-morrow. Mind you are in good time, for a coach will wait for no man, nor woman either; and I’ll bid you good-by now and a better disposition to you, and a good journey. Good-night.” And at seven o’clock next morning, in the freshness of the new day, the North mail sure enough carried Lily and Robina away. CHAPTER V