"Yes, dear, I would go. You have no one but me, and I mean to do the best I can for your happiness. If Lady Lancaster is unreasonable about this matter, I shall leave her," said Mrs. West, decidedly. "But, oh, aunt, you will be sorry that I came to you--sorry that poor papa left me on your hands," anxiously. "I shall regret nothing, dear, if I can only do my duty by you," was the reassuring reply that brought a look of relief into Leonora's beautiful face. Then Elise came with Lady Lancaster's message. She looked curiously at the calm, unruffled face of Leonora. "Oh, Miss West, you have seriously offended my mistress!" she exclaimed. "Have I?" Leonora answered, demurely; and Elise knew by the gleam under the girl's long lashes that she did not care. She delivered her message and departed. "I do not know what to make of that Miss West; but she is decidedly too proud and too pretty for her position," Elise said to herself, when she was going slowly back upstairs to her mistress. "I'm afraid she will cause Mrs. West to lose her place." Mrs. West went upstairs to the great lady, and Leonora waited in the little sitting-room for her return, which occurred in about fifteen minutes. The housekeeper was somewhat red in the face, and her lips were curved rather sternly. "Well, aunt, have you promised to send me away?" the young girl asked, demurely. "She would have liked to have me do so," said Mrs. West, indignantly. "She was very arrogant and presuming. She seems to be quite angry because poor Dick's daughter is as pretty and accomplished as the young ladies in a higher rank of life." Leonora smiled, and her aunt continued: "I gave warning that I would leave her in a month. If it were not for Lord Lancaster, I would go to-day; but he has always been so kind that I shall stay a few weeks longer for his sake. Can you endure it that much longer, my child?" "Oh, yes," said Leonora, "I will try to be very good that long. And, Aunt West, when we leave here we are going back to New York. You need not shake your head so solemnly. I am a willful child, and I mean to have my own way." CHAPTER XXXI. Lord Lancaster received a message from his aunt that evening. She wished to see him privately for ten minutes. "I hope she isn't going to tease me about Lady Adela again," he said to himself, and he looked rather sullen when he went to her. He was exceedingly impatient of the rule she tried to exercise over him. "Clive, why didn't you tell me about that girl?" she began, dashing into the subject without preamble. He was honestly bewildered by the suddenness of the inquiry. He did not think of connecting Leonora West with it. "I do not know what you are talking about, Aunt Lydia," he answered. She gave him a keen glance to see if he was trying to deceive her; but his fair, handsome face expressed only the most honest surprise. "I mean that West girl--the housekeeper's niece," she said. "Why didn't you tell me about her when you came home?"