"What made you enter into these engagements, my dear?"
"The will and power of two other people, aunt Caxton—and, I am afraid, now, a little ambition of my own was at work in it. And I liked him too. It was not a person that I did not like. But I did not know what I was doing. I liked him, aunt Caxton."
"And now it is a question with you whether you will fulfil these engagements?"
"Yes ma'am,—because I do not wish to fulfil them. I do not know whether I ought, or ought not."
Mrs. Caxton was silent in her turn.
"Eleanor,—do you like some one else better?"
"Nobody else likes me better, aunt Caxton—there is nothing of that kind—"
"Still my question is not answered, Eleanor. Have you more liking for any other person?"
"Aunt Caxton—I do not know—I have seen—I do not know how to answer you!" Eleanor said in bitter confusion; then hiding her face she went on—"Just so much as this is true, aunt Caxton,—I have seen, what makes me know that I do not love Mr. Carlisle; not as he loves me."
Mrs. Caxton stooped forward, took Eleanor's hands down from her face and kissed her. It was a sad, drooping, pained face, hot with shame.