‘Oh, very well,’ said James, sitting down to his writing, as if he had done with her; ‘I understand.’

’Dear James!  O tell me you are not angry with me!  Tell me you think I am right!’ cried Clara, alarmed by his manner.

‘Quite right in one point of view,’ he said, with acrimony.

‘James,’ said Louis, very low, but so as to make them both start, ‘that is not the way to treat your sister!’

‘We will renew the discussion another time, if you wish it, Clara,’ said James.

‘No,’ said Clara, ‘I wish Louis to be here.  He will judge for me,’ and she spoke clearly, her face colouring.  ’It was grandmamma’s great wish that I should love my uncle.  She used to beg me to be patient with him, and rejoiced to see us together.  She often said he must not be left with no one to make a home for him, and to go out to Lima again.’

‘Did she ever desire you to remain here?’

‘No,’ said Clara, ’she never did; but I am convinced that if she had known how soon she was to leave us, she would have done so.  I feel as much bound as if she had.  I have heard her call him my charge.  And not only so, but my uncle has never varied in his kindness to me, and when he worked all his life for grandmamma, and my father, it would be wicked and cruel in me—­if he does care for me—­to forsake him, now he has lost them all, and is growing old.’

‘You need not scruple on that score,’ said James.  ’He has attained his object, and made the most of it.  He is free now, and he will soon find a Rosita, if his mines are not sufficient for him.’

‘James, you should not say wrong things,’ said Clara.

’I am not likely to think it wrong, whatever you may.  I have no expectations.  Do not rise up in arms against me, Fitzjocelyn, I do not accuse her.  I might have foreseen it.  She meant well at first, but the Terrace cannot bear competition with a place like this.  Where two so-called duties clash, she is at perfect liberty to make her choice.  It would not be easy to come down to what I have to offer.  I understand.  The world will call it a wise choice.  Say no more, Clara, I feel no anger.’

She attempted no words; she clasped her hands over her face, and ran out of the room.

‘James,’ said Louis, rising, indignation rendering his voice more low and clearly distinct than ever, ’I little thought to hear you insult that orphan sister of yours in her grief.  No!  I shall not defend her, I shall go to give her what comfort I can.  Heaven help her, poor lonely child!’

He was gone.  James paced about in desperation, raving against Louis for maintaining what he thought Clara’s self-deception; and, in the blindness of anger, imagining that their ultra-generosity would conduct them to the repair of Ormersfield with the revenues of Cheveleigh; and, disdainful as he was, it seemed another cruel outrage that his rightful inheritance should be in the hands of another, and his children portionless.  He was far too wrathful to have any consistency or discrimination in his anger, and he was cruelly wounded at finding that his sister deserted him, as he thought, for her uncle’s riches, and that his own closest friend was ready to share the spoil.