upon to meet him.  He still hoped that, even as he was resolutely cramming his shirts into his portmanteau before he began his journey.  His Cousin Clara he thought he could meet, and tender to her some expression of good wishes as to her future life, without giving way under the effort.  And to the old squire he could endeavour to make himself pleasant, speaking of the relief from all trouble which this marriage with Captain Aylmer would afford for now, in his cooler moments, be could perceive that Captain Aylmer was not a man apt to ruin himself, or his wife and children.  But to Captain Aylmer himself, he could not bring himself to say pleasant things or to express pleasant wishes.  She who was to be Captain Aylmer’s wife, who loved him, would of course have told him what had occurred up among the rocks in Belton Park; and if that was so, any meeting between Will and Captain Aylmer would be death to the former.

Thinking of all this he journeyed down to Taunton, and thinking of all this he made his way from Taunton across to Belton Park.

CHAPTER XV

EVIL WORDS

Clara Amedroz had received her two letters together that, namely, from the attorney, and that from Captain Aylmer and the result of those letters is already known.  She accepted her lover’s renewed offer of marriage, acknowledging the force of his logic, and putting faith in the strength of his assurances.  This she did without seeking advice from any one.  Who was there from whom she could seek advice on such a matter as that who, at least, was there at Belton?  That her father would, as a matter of course, bid her accept Captain Aylmer, was, she thought, certain; and she knew well that Mrs Askerton would do the same.  She asked no counsel from any one, but taking the two letters up to her own room, sat down to consider them.  That which referred to her aunt’s money, together with the postscript in Captain Aylmer’s letter on the same subject, would be of the least possible moment if she could bring herself to give a favourable answer to the other proposition.  But should she not be able to do this should she hesitate as to doing so at once then she must write to the lawyer in very strong terms, refusing altogether to have anything to do with the money.  And in such a case as this, not a word could she say to her father either on one subject or on the other.

But why should she not accept the offer made to her?  Captain Aylmer declared that he had determined to ask her to be his wife before he had made any promise to Mrs Winterfield.  If this were in truth so, then the very ground on which she had separated herself from him would be removed.  Why should she hesitate in acknowledging to herself that she loved the man and believed him to be true?  So she sat herself down and answered both the letters writing to the lawyer first.  To him she said that nothing need be done about the money or the interest till he should