‘I’m afraid you’ll have a dark walk, Miss Amedroz,’ he said.

‘It’s only just across the park, and I know the way so well.’

’Yes of course.  I saw you coming out, and as I want to say a word or two, I have ventured to follow you.  When Mr Belton was down here I did not have the pleasure of meeting him.’

‘I remember that you missed each other.’

’Yes, we did.  I understand from my wife that he will be here again in a day or two.’

‘He will be with us the day after tomorrow.’

’I hope you will excuse my saying that it will be very desirable that we should miss each other again.’  Clara felt that her face became red with anger as she listened to Colonel Askerton’s words.  He spoke slowly, as was his custom, and without any of that violence of expression which his wife had used; but on that very account there was more, if possible, of meaning in his words than in hers.  William Belton was her cousin, and such a speech as that which Colonel Askerton had made, spoken with deliberation and unaccompanied by any previous explanation, seemed to her almost to amount to insult.  But as she did not know how to answer him at the spur of the moment, she remained silent.  Then he continued, ’You may be sure, Miss Amedroz, that I should not make so strange a request to you if I had not good reason for making it.’

‘I think it a very strange request.’

’And nothing but a strong conviction of its propriety on my part would have induced me to make it.’

’If you do not want to see my cousin, why cannot you avoid him without saying anything to me on the subject

’Because you would not then have understood as thoroughly as I wish you to do why I kept out of his way.  For my wife’s sake and for yours, if you will allow me to say so I do not wish to come to any open quarrel with him; but if we met, a quarrel would, I think, be inevitable.  Mary has probably explained to you the nature of his offence against us?’

’Mrs Askerton has told me something as to which I am quite sure that she is mistaken.’

’I will say nothing about that, as I have no wish at all to set you against your cousin.  I will bid you good-night now as you are close at home.’  Then he turned round and left her.

Clara, as she thought of all this, could not but call to mind her cousin’s remembrances about Miss Vigo and Mr Berdmore.  What if he made some inquiry as to the correctness of his old recollections?  Nothing, she thought, could be more natural.  And then she reflected that, in the ordinary way of the world, persons feel none of that violent objection to the asking of questions about their antecedents which was now evinced by both Colonel and Mrs Askerton.  But of one thing she felt quite assured that her cousin, Will Belton, would make no inquiry which he ought not to make; and would make no improper use of any information which he might obtain.