‘I should never be _in love_ with Lewis—never!’ cried Maud, almost disdainfully. ‘Fancy feeling sentimental over a man like that! But then, I do like him, and I might never meet anyone I liked so well; and there is my money, you know.’ ‘Don’t think about the money, Maud,’ said Tor quickly. He would have liked to promise there and then, that she should never feel the need of that—to tell her that he would make the loss good; but he could hardly hand over £10,000 of Phil’s money so coolly, even though he felt sure of his ultimate approval: and gladly as he would have sacrificed his own fortune to her, he knew that there was only one way by which his wealth could be made hers, and that way was, as yet, closed to him. ‘I can’t help thinking about it,’ answered Maud. ‘If I had come of age at twenty-one, as other girls do, I should not have thought as I do now. Five thousand would have seemed riches, and love in a cottage the ideal of bliss. I should have sent Lewis about his business in double-quick time then, and bought the little cottage behind Roma’s studio, and lived there in glorious independence. At twenty-one we know nothing of life, and are filled to the brim with romance. But three more years teach us a good deal;’ and Maud shook her head gravely. ‘Things take very different proportions, and we see that life isn’t just what we pictured. Do you think papa knew that when he fixed my majority?’ ‘No; but I have no doubt Belassis did.’ ‘Uncle Belassis!’ cried Maud. ‘What has he to do with it?’ ‘Everything, I imagine. Do you suppose our father would have made such an iniquitous will except under compulsion?’ Maud’s face changed visibly. ‘But Uncle Belassis says——’ ‘_That_ for what he says.’ Gradually Maud seemed to take in the true meaning of Tor’s words. ‘Oh!’ she said, and stopped short. ‘Oh! so that’s how it was! I wonder I did not think of it before. Phil, you don’t want me to marry Lewis Belassis?’ ‘Perhaps not; but I wish you to decide for yourself—to be guided by your own wishes.’ Tor was anxious, if possible, not to interfere in Maud’s decision. He had a strong hope that she would of her own accord reject Lewis. ‘Papa wished it,’ she said, hesitating. ‘Indeed!’ ‘You think not? _Could_ Uncle Belassis have had so much power as all that?’ ‘Could your father have cared so much for a little snuffling brat of five years old, as Lewis was at the time of the making of that will?’ Maud considered this aspect of the case with some gravity. ‘Yes, he certainly would be a “little snuffling brat” at that age—I can just see him, though I can’t remember him, as you can. I’ll tell him some day of your description; it is so vivid.’ ‘Do; and if you want to know whether the match was approved by other members of the family, you can ask Aunt Olive what she thinks.’ ‘I know she doesn’t like it.’