‘Yes, I know, Aunt Olive—I just know what you’re going to say; and you know I haven’t a bit made up my mind that I will marry Lewis: but I do think that if I did, I should get to love him by-and-by—people do in books often; and though I don’t go much by that, I do think that I could get fond of him in time—quite fond of him. I know it seems very horrid to marry for money; but you see it is a little different when it’s _my_ money, not his—don’t you think so? And Lewis does really care for me, because he would get most of the money anyway, and yet he is always worrying me to say that I will take him, and get it all for myself. It’s a very unpleasant position to be put in, and I’ve not made up my mind what I’ll do, nor spoken to Phil about it either. Still, I can’t see why I shouldn’t marry Lewis if I feel inclined to. After all, there is something in his favour, when he is a _known_ evil.’ Maud’s mischievous mood had returned to her, and Aunt Olive dropped the subject. She knew her niece’s temperament too well to try to oppose her. Opposition to Maud was another name for encouragement, and she did not wish to encourage her in her half-formed determination to marry Lewis Belassis. CHAPTER XI. AN ENCOUNTER WITH BELASSIS. Since his nephew’s arrival in England, Mr. Belassis had felt anything but at ease. To use a well-worn simile, he felt like one who walks over a powder-mine which may at any time explode, and blow him into the air. He could hardly have explained the cause of his uneasiness, for he had always been a cautious, not to say a cunning man, and had taken all possible care to gloss over all his doubtful transactions so as to make them appear upright, and even disinterested. Still he could not but be aware that there were certain passages in his past life which would not bear the light of day, and he was especially anxious that these passages should not come under the notice of his nephew. Why Mr. Belassis should stand in such awe of his nephew is not very easy to say. So far no unpleasantness had occurred between them, and the younger man had given no open sign of distrust or dislike. Yet, all the same, Mr. Belassis feared him. Tor’s cool independence and self-reliance gave him great uneasiness, for he felt by intuition that it would be a very difficult matter to daunt or to deceive him, if ever such a course should become desirable.