‘Nonsense!’ said she to herself. ‘There is no need as yet to think of it! The place is my own by every right! Humfrey told me so! I will take time to see what this youth may be, and make sure of his relationship. Then, if it be right and just, he shall come after me. But I will not raise expectations, nor notice him more than as Owen’s friend and a distant kinsman. It would be fatally unsettling to do more.’
Owen urged her no farther. Either he had not energy to enforce any point for long together, or he felt that the succession might be a delicate subject, for he let her lead to his personal affairs, and he was invalid enough to find them fully engrossing.
The Canadian came in punctually, full of animation and excitement, of which Phœbe had the full benefit, till he was called to help Owen to dress. While this was going on, Robert came into the drawing-room to breathe, after the hard task of pacifying Mrs. Murrell.
‘What are you going to do to-day, Phœbe?’ he asked. ‘Have you got through your shopping?’
‘Some of it. Do you mean that you could come out with me?’
‘Yes; you will never get through business otherwise.’
‘Then if you have an afternoon to spare, could not we take Mr. Randolf to the Tower?’
‘Why, Phœbe!’
‘He has only to-day at liberty, and is so full of eagerness about all the grand old historical places, that it seems hard that he should have to find his way about alone, with no one to sympathize with him—half the day cut up, too, with nursing Owen.’
‘He seems to have no difficulty in finding his way.’