‘Who could have thought it? The Debenhams have always been unsuspecting fools.’ ‘Philip is neither one nor the other. You must be very cautious, Alfred.’ Mr. Belassis broke out with an exclamation which would sound decidedly strong if written down. ‘What could have induced the old fool to make such a will? and how dares that boy take such a stand as that? He’s no true Debenham if he has a will of his own. Who could have guessed things would have turned out so unluckily?’ CHAPTER V. PHILIP’S SISTER. ‘Now, Phil, at last we have got you to ourselves—I thought we never should do it. Oh, there is such a lot to say, I don’t know where to begin!’ This was Maud’s exclamation as, after some skilful manœuvring, she escaped with Tor into the twilight stillness of the quiet garden, where in a secluded summer-house Mrs. Lorraine, the sweet-faced Aunt Olive, was sitting as if waiting for them. Tor had hardly heard the gentle voice of the widow in the confusion of many tongues at the dinner-table, but her face had attracted him; and when Maud pulled him forward, exclaiming: ‘Now, kiss Aunt Olive—kiss her as often as you like, for she’s the sweetest, dearest aunt in all the world!’ then Tor stepped forward and did her bidding willingly, feeling wonderfully little ashamed of the deception he was practising upon two confiding women, and growing marvellously contented with his present position. ‘My dear Philip, my own poor Maud’s darling boy!’ murmured Aunt Olive tenderly. ‘I can hardly believe you are the little Philip who went away eighteen years ago. You were so like your father then, and your mother too, and now I cannot see a trace of either.’ ‘He is like nobody but himself, and I am glad of it!’ cried Maud, leaning against his shoulder as he sat beside Aunt Olive, and caressing his curly head. ‘He is just my own dear, darling Phil! Oh, Phil, we will have good times now you have come back!’ ‘We will so!’ answered Tor emphatically; ‘and if I find upon inquiry that that precious uncle of ours has been making himself disagreeable to you in my absence, I shall speak my mind to him candidly and freely.’ Aunt Olive clasped her wrinkled hands together and looked anxious. Maud laughed triumphantly. ‘Oh, Phil, you can’t think what a comfort it is to hear somebody talk like that; to feel that there is some one who dares speak out!’ ‘Dares?’ he echoed, lifting his eyebrows. ‘Do you mean you are all afraid of him?’ ‘I think most people are,’ admitted Maud frankly. ‘And then there is Aunt Celia, you know, and she is as bad every bit; and what with the two of them, one feels quite helpless.’ ‘You need not feel that any more,’ answered Tor, with a short laugh. ‘I’ll pretty soon settle the pair of them if they dare to annoy you any more.’