‘It does not signify we will say no more about it.’

‘And you think she likes going to Lady Aylmer’s?’

‘How should I say what she likes?’

Then there was another pause before Mrs Askerton spoke again.  ’I can tell you one thing,’ she said:  ‘she does not like him.’

‘That is her affair.’

’But she should be taught to know her own mind before she throws herself away altogether.  You would not wish your cousin to marry a man whom she does not love because at one time she had come to think that she loved him.  That is the truth of it, Mr Belton.  If she goes to Aylmer Castle she will marry him and she will be an unhappy woman always afterwards.  If you would sanction her coming here for a few days, I think all that would be cured.  She would come in a moment, if you advised her.’

Then he went away, allowing himself to make no further answer at the moment, and discussed the matter with himself as he walked back to Redicote, meditating on it with all his mind, and all his heart, and all his strength.  And, as he meditated, it came on to rain bitterly a cold piercing February rain and the darkness of night came upon him, and he floundered on through the thick mud of the Somersetshire lanes, unconscious of the weather and of the darkness.  There was a way open to him by which he might even yet get what he wanted.  He thought he saw that there was a way open to him through the policy of this woman, whom he perceived to have become friendly to him.  He saw, or thought that he saw, it all.  No day had absolutely been fixed for this journey to Yorkshire; and if Clara were induced to go first to the cottage, and stay there with Mrs Askerton, no such journey might ever be taken.  He could well understand that such a visit on her part would give a mortal offence to all the Aylmers.  That tyranny of which Clara spoke with so much dread would be exhibited then without reserve, and so there would be an end altogether of the Aylmer alliance.  But were she once to start for Aylmer Park, then there would be no hope for him.  Then her fate would be decided -and his.  As far as he could see, too as far as he could see then, there would be no dishonesty in this plan.  Why should Clara not go to Mrs Askerton’s house?  What could be more natural than such a visit at such a time?  If she were in truth his sister he would not interfere to prevent it if she wished it.  He had told himself that the woman should be forgiven her offence, and had thought that that forgiveness should be complete.  If the Aylmers were so unreasonable as to quarrel with her on this ground, let them quarrel with her.  Mrs Askerton had told him that Clara did not really like Captain Aylmer.  Perhaps it was so; and if so, what greater kindness could he do her than give her an opportunity for escaping such a union?