Ralph had read every line and word, and saw how hopeless was his case
unless he closed with the widow's offer, but he would make one more
trial to obtain the best position, and as she re-entered said, "Place
those documents in my possession and I will swear to fulfil the terms
you propose."

"Not so," she replied with a contemptuous curl on her lip, "they remain
with me, and I remain here; there will be no difficulty in that. Of
course Miss Effingham must find shelter beneath your roof for some time
at least, and as you are a single man, you will require some one to
superintend your establishment until the future Lady Coleman shall
appear on the scene, and ere that event takes place, other arrangements
can be made. Accept my conditions and you become one of the wealthiest
men in the county. Reject them, and I immediately place both documents
in the hands of the late Baronet's lawyer, who is now in the house. I
have merely to say that I gathered them from the floor of the study, on
the morning of Sir Jasper's death, and that, in the hurry and excitement
of the moment, carried them to my own room, unconscious of their
importance, until this morning. This statement, true or otherwise, will
suffice to account for their being in my possession"

Ralph Coleman would have still hesitated, but her's being the stronger
will of the two, he succumbed, took the required oath, and the compact
between them was complete. No sooner was this effected than both parties
left the place of meeting in the same order as they entered.

Having carried her point and thus secured for herself a comfortable
income, together with a handsome suite of apartments within the walls of
Vellenaux, which she very naturally concluded would be a permanent home,
at least during the life of Sir Ralph, he being completely in her power,