‘Dear, cross old Uncle Maynard!’ she exclaimed. ‘Isn’t it splendid how Uncle Belassis outwitted himself by keeping you away, Phil? How savage they must have been when they saw what he says! Oh, I really am glad Aunt Celia found it—it does so serve them right! He must have hated the Belassis family. I always thought he did. Do you think he’s really right about the will? Did Uncle Belassis make papa put that condition in, Phil? If he did, that settles the matter. I won’t have anything to do with a plot of Uncle Belassis’ making. I’ll send Lewis to the right-about pretty quick, if I’m just to be made a dupe of that horrid Belassis.’ Maud’s cheek had flushed. Her eyes sparkled with anger. ‘“Women will marry anything,” will they? Well, I’ll not marry Lewis to please his father—nothing shall persuade me. Yes, Phil; uncle was right. If you had not come back in time I might have been half bullied, half coaxed into it—for I do like Lewis, and I hate a row; but if you’ll back me I don’t care for anything, and I’ll defy Uncle Belassis to his face!’ Tor smiled and stood beside the girl, who had risen in her excitement, and was standing erect and indignant, with the letter held fast in her hands. He put his hand upon her shoulder and looked down into her face. ‘All right, little sister. You need have no fears on that point. You and I are more than a match for old Belassis; and you shall neither be bullied nor coaxed into doing anything you do not like—I will take good care of that. But leave the open defiance to me; and content yourself with the calm _hauteur_ of the _grande dame_.’ Maud’s face took a different expression, and the angry light died out of her eyes. She looked up at him with a grateful admiration. ‘You are just an angel-boy, Phil. I wish I could be like you; but I’m afraid I shall never be the _grande dame_, I’m much too quick-tempered and volatile; I can’t think how you can keep so cool. I wish I could. I wish I were like you.’ ‘So do not I—I like you as you are, Maud,’ answered Tor. ‘But I am not going to let you make any important decision as to your future in a moment of heat. You must think the matter over dispassionately, and come calmly to your decision. But you see what the old fellow says about my duty. You are not to be a loser by your decision, Maud. A wish like that from a testator cannot be lightly set on one side. Remember that, Maud, when you weigh the matter in the balances.’ Tor knew quite well that the more Maud thought of a marriage with Lewis Belassis, the less she would like it, so he had no misgivings about inculcating this dispassionate consideration. He was doing the duty of an elder brother, without any fear that his own chances would suffer thereby. To be the dupe of a Belassis plot and to be the victim of his scheming would, he knew, be the more intolerable to her, the longer she looked at the matter. But Maud broke in upon his thoughts with an imperious gesture.