But Mr. Blair does not take her up, and sits with averted eyes, not thinking Mrs. Gower well enough to be left with Mr. Cobbe.
"Well, Ella, Mr. Blair is too gallant not to accompany you. You will both go; when I tell you that I wish to see Philip alone, I am going to again appeal to him."
"I am afraid it will be too much for you, Elaine, perhaps," she said, hesitatingly, for she does not like to give up her plan; "perhaps Mr. Blair ought to stay, he need not be in the very same room with you."
"Yes, that is a good idea; I shall go to the library," he said, in relieved tones.
"No, dears, you will both do as I wish. With the knowledge that I am alone, I shall doubly nerve myself to the task."
For she dreads that Mr. Cobbe's excitable temper will give way, causing a scene.
"Well, if you are going to talk to him, Elaine, tell him everything; and that Mr. Blair and I say he is breaking your heart."
"I fear, Ella, your united opinions would have little weight with him," she said, with the ghost of a smile; "but I shall tell him all, never fear," she said, earnestly feeling that Mr. Blair was, as usual, following her every word. "Never fear, I shall be a good pleader, for I have my life's happiness at stake; away with you at once, and don't come back with broken bones from the slide."