‘Papa, papa; do not say such things as that to me!’

‘What am I to do?  You tell me, and I can’t altogether hold my tongue.’  Then there was a pause.  ’Well, my dear, as for my consent, of course you may have it if it’s worth anything.  I don’t know that I ever heard anything bad about Captain Aylmer.’

He had heard nothing bad about Captain Aylmer!  Clara, as she left her father, felt that this was very grievous.  Whatever cause she might have had for discontent with her lover, she could not but be aware that he was a man whom any father might be proud to welcome as a suitor for his daughter.  He was a man as to whom no ill tales had ever been told who had never been known to do anything wrong or imprudent; who had always been more than respectable, and as to whose worldly position no exception could be taken.  She had been entitled to expect her father’s warmest congratulations, and her tidings had been received as though she had proposed to give her hand to one whose character and position only just made it not imperative on the father to withhold his consent!  All this was hard, and feeling it to be so, she went upstairs, all alone, and cried bitterly as she thought of it.

On the next day she went down to the cottage and saw Mrs Askerton.  She went there with the express purpose of telling her friend of her engagement desirous of obtaining in that quarter the sympathy which her father declined to give her.  Had her communication to him been accepted in a different spirit, she might probably have kept her secret from Mrs Askerton till something further had been fixed about her marriage; but she was in want of a few kind words, and pined for some of that encouragement which ladies in love usually wish to receive, at any rate from some one chosen friend.  But when she found herself alone with Mrs Askerton she hardly knew how to tell her news; and at first could not tell it at all, as that lady was eager in speaking on another subject.

‘When do you expect your cousin?’ Mrs Askerton asked, almost as soon as Clara was seated.

‘The day after tomorrow.’

‘And he is in London now?’

‘He may be.  I dare say he is.  But I don’t know anything about it.’

’I can tell you then that he is.  Colonel Askerton has heard of his being there.’

’You seem to speak of it as though there were some offence in it.  Is there any reason why he should not be in London if he pleases?’

’None in the least.  I would much rather that he should be there than here.’

‘Why so?  Will his coming hurt you?’

’I don’t like him.  I don’t like him at all and now you know the truth.  You believe in him I don’t.  You think him to be a fine fellow and a gentleman, whereas I don’t think him to be either.’

‘Mrs Askerton!’

‘This is strong language, I know.’

‘Very strong language.’