senior. There could hardly be a better woman than Ellinor Greystock, or a
more good-humoured, kindly being. After many debates in the deanery and in
the palace, for there was much friendship between the two ecclesiastical
establishments, the offer was made and the advice given. Ellinor had
accepted the martyrdom on the understanding that if the advice were
accepted she was to remain at Portray Castle for three months. After a
long discussion between Lady Eustace and the bishop's wife the offer was
accepted, and the two ladies went to Scotland together.

During those three months the widow still bided her time. Of her future
ideas of life she said not a word to her companion. Of her infant she said
very little. She would talk of books, choosing such books as her cousin
did not read; and she would interlard her conversation with much Italian,
because her cousin did not know the language. There was a carriage kept by
the widow, and they had themselves driven out together. Of real
companionship there was none. Lizzie was biding her time, and at the end
of the three months Miss Greystock thankfully, and, indeed, of necessity,
returned to Bobsborough. "I've done no good," she said to her mother, "and
have been very uncomfortable." "My dear," said her mother, "we have
disposed of three months out of a two years' period of danger. In two
years from Sir Florian's death she will be married again."

When this was said Lizzie had been a widow nearly a year, and had bided
her time upon the whole discreetly. Some foolish letters she had written,
chiefly to the lawyer about her money and property; and some foolish
things she had said, as when she told Ellinor Greystock that the Portray
property was her own forever, to do what she liked with it. The sum of
money left to her by her husband had by that time been paid into her own
hands, and she had opened a banker's account. The revenues from the Scotch
estate, some £4,000 a year, were clearly her own for life. The family