She sat for a while again silent; collecting her courage on the subject that was nearest her heart. She would have given the world that he should ask her questions; but she could not bid him to do so; and she found it impossible to talk openly to him about Frank unless he did so. 'Will he come here?' at last she said, in a low-toned voice.
'Who? He, Louis? Yes, I think that in all probability he will.'
'No; but Frank,' she said, in a still lower voice.
'Ah! my darling, that I cannot tell; but will it be well that he should come here?'
'I do not know,' she said. 'No, I suppose not. But, uncle, I don't think he will come.'
She was now sitting on a sofa away from the table, and he got up, sat down beside her, and took her hands in his.
'Mary,' said he, 'you must be strong now; strong to endure, not to attack. I think you have that strength; but, if not, perhaps it will be better that we should go away.'
'I will be strong,' said she, rising up and going towards the door.
'Never mind me, uncle; don't follow me; I will be strong. It will be base, cowardly, mean, to run away; very base in me to make you do so.'
'No, dearest, not so; it will be the same to me.'
'No,' said she, 'I will not run away from Lady Arabella. And, as for him—if he loves this other one, he shall hear no reproach from me. Uncle, I will be strong;' and running back to him, she threw her arms round him and kissed him. And, still restraining her tears, she got safely to her bedroom. In what way she may there have shown her strength, it would not be well for us to inquire.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
A BAROUCHE AND FOUR ARRIVES AT GRESHAMSBURY.
During the last twelve months Sir Louis Scatcherd had been very efficacious in bringing trouble, turmoil, and vexation upon Greshamsbury. Now that it was too late to take steps to save himself, Dr. Thorne found that the will left by Sir Roger was so made as to entail upon him duties that he would find it almost impossible to perform. Sir Louis, though his father had wished to make him still a child in the eye of the law, was no child. He knew his own rights and was determined to exact them;
