WHEN the carriage was driven away, Sir Anthony and Captain Aylmer were left standing alone at the hall door of the house. The servants had slunk off, and the father and son, looking at each other, felt that they also must slink away, or else have some words together on the subject of their guest's departure. The younger gentleman would have preferred that there should be no words, but Sir Anthony was curious to know something of what had passed in the house during the last few days. "I'm afraid things are not going quite comfortable," he said. "It seems to me, sir," said his son, "that things very seldom do go quite comforta ble." "But, Fred,- what is it all about? Your mother says that Miss Amedroz is behaving very badly." "And Miss Amed roz says that my er is behaving very badly." "Of course; that's only natural. what do you say?" "I say nothing, sir. The less said 800nest mended." 'No; I don't mean to say that. An eldest son ought to marry, so that the property may have an heir. And poor men should marry, I suppose, as they want wives to do for them. And sometimes, no doubt, a man must marry, when he has got to be very fond of a girl, and has compromised himself, and all that kind of thing. I would never advise any man to sully his honour." As Sir Anthony said this he raised himself a little with his two sticks and spoke out in a bolder voice. The voice, however, sank again as he descended from the realms of honour to those of prudence. "But none of these cases are yours, Fred. To be sure you'll have the Perivale property; but that is not a family estate, and you'll be much better off by turning it into money. And in the way of comfort, you can be a great deal more comfortable without, a wife than you can with one. What do you want a wife for? And then, as to Miss Amedroz, for myself I must say that I like her uncommonly. She has been very pleasant moth-in her ways with me. But, somehow or another I don't think you are so much in love with her but what you can do without her." Hereupon he paused and looked his son full in the face. Fred had also been thinking of the matter in his own way, and asking himself the same question, whether he was in truth so much in love with Clara that he could not live without her. "Of course I don't know," continued Sir Anthony, "what has taken place just now between you and her, or what between her and your mother; but I suppose the whole thing might fall through without any further trouble to you, or without anything unhandsome on your part?" But Captain Aylmer still said nothing. The whole thing might, no doubt, fall through, but he wished to be neither unjust nor ungenerous, and he specially wished to avoid anything unhandsome. After a further pause of a few minutes, Sir Anthony went on again, pouring forth the words of experience. course marriage is all very well. I married rather early in life, and have always found your mother to be a most excellent woman. A better woman doesn't breathe. I'm as sure of that as I am of anything. But God bless me, of course you can see. I can't call anything my own. and I can't move I've never got a shilling to spend, while all these lazy hounds about the place are eating me up. There isn't a clerk with a hundred a year in London that isn't better off than I am as regards ready money. And what comfort have I in a big house, and no end of gardens, and a "That's all very well; but it seems to me that you, in your position, must say something. The long and the short of it is this. Is she to be your wife?" "Upon my word, sir, I don't know." They were still standing out under the portico, and as Sir Anthony did not for a minute or two ask any further questions, Captain Aylmer turned as though he were going into the house. But his father had still a word or two to say. "Stop a moment, Fred. I don't often trouble you with advice." "I am sure I'm always glad to hear it when you offer any." "I know very well that in most things your opinion is better than mine. You've had advantages which I never had. But I've had more experience than you, my dear boy. It stands to reason that in some things I must have had more experience than you." There was a tone of melancholy in the father's voice as he said this which quite touched his son, and which brought the two closer together out in the porch. "Take my word for it," continued Sir Anthony," that you are much better off as you are than you could be with a wife." "Do you mean to say that no man should marry?" "Of I'm tied down here perfect faith;-if only he would have been a brother to her. But it was too late now for doubting, and on the next day she found herself getting out of the old Redicote fly, at Colonel Askerton's door. He came out to meet her, and his greeting was very friendly. Hitherto there had been no great intimacy between him and her, owing rather to the manner of life adopted by him than to any cause of mutual dislike between them. Mrs. Askerton had shown herself desirous of some social intercourse since she had been at Bel place like this? What pleasures do I get out of it? That comes of marrying and keeping up one's name in the county respectably! What do I care for the county? D-the county! I often wish that I'd been a younger son, as you are." Captain Aylmer had no answer to make to all this. It was, no doubt, the fact that age and good living had made Sir Anthony altogether incapable of enjoying the kind of life which he desiderated, and that he would probably have eaten and drunk himself into his grave long since had that kind of life been within his reach. This, how-ton, but with Colonel Askerton there had ever, the son could not explain to the father. But in fitting, as he endeavoured to do, his father's words to his own case, Captain Aylmer did perceive that a bachelor's life might perhaps be the most suitable to his own peculiar case. Only he would do nothing unhandsome. As to that he was quite resolved. Of course Clara must show herself to be in some degree amenable to reason and to the ordinary rules of the world; but he was aware that his mother was hot-tempered, and he generously made up his mind that he would give Miss Amedroz even yet another chance. been nothing of this. He had come there in- "It is very good of you." "No, dear; the goodness is with you to come. But we won't quarrel about that. At the hotel in London Clara found a We will both be ever so good. And he is short note from Mrs. Askerton, in which she so happy that you should be here. You'll was warmly assured that everything should get to know him now. But come up stairs. be done to make her comfortable at the cot-There's a fire in your room, and I'll be your tage as long as she should please to stay maid for the occasion, because then we there. But the very warmth of affection can talk." Clara did as she was bid and thus expressed made her almost shrink from went up stairs; and as she sat over the fire what she was about to do. Mrs. Askerton while her friend knelt beside her, for was no doubt anxious for her coming; but Mrs. Askerton was given to such kneelings, would her cousin Will Belton approve of - she could not but tell herself that Belton the visit; and what would her cousin Mary Cottage was much more comfortable than say about it? If she was being driven into Aylmer Park. During the whole time of her this step against her own approval, by the sojourn at Aylmer Park no word of real insolence of Lady Aylmer, if she was friendship had once greeted her ears. doing this thing simply because Lady Ayl- Everything there had been cold and former had desired her not to do it, and was mal, till coldness and formality had given doing it in opposition to the wishes of the way to violent insolence. man she had promised to marry as well as in her own judgment, there could not but be cause for shrinking. And yet she believed that she was right. If she could only have had some one to tell her, some one to whom she could trust implicitly to direct her! She had hitherto been very much prone to rebel against authority. Against her aunt she had rebelled, and against her father, and against her lover. But now she wished with all her heart that there might be some one to whom she could submit with perfect faith. If she could only know what her cousin Will would think. In him she thought she could have trusted with that "And so you have quarrelled with her ladyship," said Mrs. Askerton. "I knew you would.” "I have not said anything about quarrelling with her." "But of course you have. Come, now don't make yourself disagreeable. You have had a downright battle; have you not?" 66 - Something very like it, I'm afraid." "I am so glad," said Mrs. Askerton, rubbing her hands. "That is ill-natured." Very well. Let it be ill-natured. One isn't to be good-natured all round, or what would be the use of it. And what sort of woman is she?" "Oh dear; I couldn't describe her. She is very large, and wears a great wig, and manages everything herself, and I've no doubt she's a very good woman in her own way." "I can see her at once; and a very pillar of virtue as regards morality and going to church. Poor me! Does she know that you have come here?" "I've no doubt she does. I did not tell her, nor would I tell her daughter; but I told Captain Aylmer." "That was right, That was very right. I'm so glad of that. But who would doubt that you would show a proper spirit. And what did he say?" "Not much, indeed." "I won't trouble you about him. I don't in the least doubt but all that will come right. And what sort of man is Sir Anthony?" "A common-place sort of a man; very gouty, and with none of his wife's strength. liked him the best of them all." "Because you saw the least of him, I suppose. That evening passed by very pleasantly, and when she went again to her own room, Clara was almost surprised to find how completely she was at home. On the next day she and Mrs. Askerton together went up to the house, and roamed through all the rooms, and Clara seated herself in all the accustomed chairs. On the sofa, just in the spot to which Belton had thrown it, she found the key of the cellar. She took it up in her hand, thinking that she would give it to the servant; but again she put it back upon the sofa. It was his key, and he had left it there, and if ever there came an occasion she would remind him where he had put it. Then they went out to the cow, who was at her ease in a little home paddock. "Dear Bessey," said Clara. "See how well she knows me." But I think the tame little beast would have known any one else as well who had gone up to her as Clara did, with food in her hand. "He was kind in his manner to me." "And they were like she-dragons. I understand it all, and can see them just as though I had been there. I felt that I knew what would come of it when you first told me that you were going to Aylmer Park. I did, indeed. I could have prophesied it" She is quite as sacred as any cow that all. "I have told Mr. Belton that you were coming here. It was in this way. I had to write to him about our continuing in the cottage. Colonel Askerton always makes me, write if it's possible, and of course we were obliged to settle something as to the place." "I'm sorry you said anything about me." "How could I help it? What would you have thought of me, or what would he have thought, if, when writing to him, I had not mentioned such a thing as your visit? Besides, it's much better that he should know." ever was worshipped among the cow-worshippers," said Mrs. Askerton. 66 I suppose they milk her and sell the butter, but otherwise she is not regarded as an ordinary cow at all." "Poor Bessey," said Clara. "I wish she had never come here. What is to be done with her?" "Done with her! She'll stay here till she dies a natural death, and then a romantic pair of mourners will follow her to her grave, mixing their sympathetic tears comfortably as they talk of the old days; and in future years, Bessey will grow to be a divinity of the past, never to be mentioned without tenderest reminiscences. I have not the slightest difficulty in prophesying as to Bessey's future life and posthumous honours." They roamed about the place the whole morning, through the garden and round the farm buildings, and in and out of the house; and at every turn something was said about Will Belton. But Clara would not go up to the rocks, although Mrs. Askerton more than once attempted to turn in that direction. He had said that he never would go there again except under certain circumstances. She | so, will it not be well that you should come knew that those circumstances would nev- to me for a short time? er come to pass; but yet neither would she go there. She would never go there till her cousin was married. Then, if in those days she should ever be present at Belton Castle, she would creep up to the spot all alone, and allow herself to think of the old days. "Both William and I feel that just for the present, for a little time, you would perhaps prefer to be alone with me. He must go to London for a while, and then on to Belton, to settle your affairs and his. He intends to be absent for six weeks. If you would not be afraid of the dulness of this On the following morning there came to house for so long a time, pray come to us. her a letter bearing the Downham post- The pleasure to me would be very great, mark, but at the first glance she knew and I hope that you have some of that feeling, that it was not from her cousin Will. Will which with me is so strong, that we ought wrote with a bold round hand, that was ex- not to be any longer personally strangers to tremely plain and caligraphic when he al- each other. You could then make up your lowed himself time for the work in hand, mind as to what you would choose to do as he did with the commencement of his afterwards. I think that by the end of that epistles, but which would become confused time, that is, when William returns,—my and altogether anti-caligraphic when he uncle and aunt from Sleaford will be with fell into a hurry towards the end of his us. He is a clergyman, you know; and if performance, as was his wont. But the you then like to remain, they will be deaddress of this letter was written in a pret-lighted to make your acquaintance. ty, small, female hand, — very careful in the perfection of every letter, and very neat in every stroke. It was from Mary Belton, between whom and Clara there had never hitherto been occasion for correspondence. The letter was as follows: "Plaistow Hall, April, 186-. "MY DEAR COUSIN CLARA, “William has heard from your friends at Belton, who åre tenants on the estate, and as to whom there seems to be some question whether they are to remain. He has written, saying, I believe, that there need be no difficulty if they wish to stay there. But we learn, also, from Mrs. Askerton's letter, that you are expected at the cottage, and therefore I will address this to Belton, supposing that it may find you there. "You and I have never yet known each other; which has been a grief to me; but this grief, I hope, may be cured some day before long. I myself, as you know, am such a poor creature that I cannot go about the world to see my friends as other people do; at least, not very well; and therefore I write to you with the object of asking you to come and see me here. This is an interesting old house in its way; and though I must not conceal from you that life here is very, very quiet, I would do my best to make the days pass pleasantly with you. I had heard that you were gone to Aylmer Park. Indeed, William told me of his taking you up to London. Now it seems you have left Yorkshire, and I suppose you will not return there very soon. If it be "It seems to be a long journey for a young lady to make alone, from Belton to Plaistow; but travelling is so easy now-adays, and young ladies seem to be so independent. that you may be able to manage it. Hoping to see you soon, I remain Your affectionate Cousin, "MARY BELTON." This letter she received before breakfast, and was therefore able to read it in solitude, and to keep its receipt from the knowledge of Mrs. Askerton, if she should be so minded. She understood at once all that it intended to convey, -a hint that Plaistow Hall would be a better resting-place for her than Mrs. Askerton's cottage; and an assurance that if she would go to Plaistow Hall for her convenience, no advantage_should be taken of her presence there by the owner of the house for his convenience. As she sat thinking of the offer which had been made to her she fancied that she could see and hear her cousin Will as he discussed the matter with his sister, and with a half assumption of surliness declared his own intention of going away. Captain Aylmer after that interview in London had spoken of Belton's conduct as being unpardonable; but Clara had not only pardoned him, but had, in her own mind, pronounced his vir tues to be so much greater than his vices as to make him almost perfect. "But I will not drive him out of his own house," she said. "What does it matter where I go?" "Colonel Askerton has had a letter from your cousin," said Mrs. Askerton as soon as the two ladies were alone together. "Not a word about you." "So much the better. I have given him trouble enough, and am glad to think that he should be free of me for a while. Is Colonel Askerton to stay at the cottage?" "Now, Clara, you are a hypocrite. You know that you are a hypocrite." 66 Very likely, but I don't know why you should accuse me just now." "Yes, you do. Have not you heard from Norfolk also.?" "Yes; I have." "I was sure of it. I knew he would never have written in that way, in answer to my letter, ignoring your visit here altogether, unless he had written to you also.' "But he has not written to me. My letter is from his sister. There it is." Whereupon she handed the letter to Mrs. Askerton, and waited patiently while it was being read. Her friend returned it to her without a word, and Clara was the first to speak again. "It is a nice letter, is it not? never saw her you know." "So she says." "But is it not a kind letter? I "I suppose it is meant for kindness. It is not very complimentary to me. It presumes that such a one as I may be treated without the slightest consideration. And 80 I may. It is only fit that I should be so treated. If you ask my advice, I advise you to go at once; at once." "But I have not asked your advice, dear; nor do I intend to ask it." "You would not have shown it me if you had not intended to go." "How unreasonable you are! You told me just now that I was a hypocrite, for not telling you of my letter, and now you are angry with ine because I have shown it you." "I am not angry. I think you have been quite right to show it me. I don't know how else you could have acted upon it." "But I do not mean to act upon it. I shall not go to Plaistow. There are two reasons against it, each sufficient. I shall not leave you quite yet, unless you send me away; and I shall not cause my cousin to be turned out of his own house." 66 Why should he be turned out? Why should you not go to him? You love him; -and as for him, he is more in love than any man I ever knew. Go to Plaistow Hall, and everything will run smooth." No, dear; I shall not do that." "Then you are foolish. I am bound to tell you so, as I have inveigled you here." 66 "Mrs. Askerton, I cannot tell you how much you wrong yourself, and how you wrong me also. I am more than contented to be here." "But should not be contented to be here. It is just that. In learning to love me, or rather, perhaps, to pity me, you lower yourself. Do you think that I do not see it all, and know it all? Of course it is bad to be alone, but I have no right not to be alone." There was nothing for Clara to do but to draw herself once again close to the poor woman, and to embrace her with protestations of fair, honest, equal regard and friendship. understand that letter?" "Do you think I do not Askerton. continued Mrs. "If it had come from Lady Aylmer I could have laughed at it, because I believe Lady Aylmer to be an overbearing virago, whom it is good to put down in every way possible. But this comes from a pure-minded woman, one whom I believe to be little given to harsh judgments on her fellow-sinners; and she tells you in her calm wise way that it is bad for you to be here with me.' "She says nothing of the kind." "But does she not mean it? Tell me honestly; means it?" do you not know that she "I am not to be guided by what she means." "But you are to be guided by what her brother means. It is to come to that, and you may as well bend your neck at once. It is to come to that, and the sooner the better for you. It is easy to see that you are badly off for guidance when you take spoken Mrs. Askerton got up and went to up me as your friend." When she had so the door. "No, Clara, do not come with me; not now," she said, turning to her companion, who had risen as though to follow her. "I will come to you soon, but I would rather be alone now. here, dear; you must answer your cousin's And, look letter. Do so at once, and say that you will go to Plaistow. In any event it will be better for you." Clara, when she was alone, did answer her cousin's letter, but she did not accept the invitation that had been given her. She assured Miss Belton that she was most |