The whole of the next day he remained at Redicote, thinking, doubting, striving to reconcile his wishes and his honesty.  It rained all day, and as he sat alone, smoking in the comfortless inn, he told himself that the rain was keeping him but in truth it was not the rain.  Had he resolved to do his best to prevent this visit to Yorkshire, or had he resolved to further it, I think he would have gone to Belton without much fear of the rain.  On the second day after the funeral he did go, and he had then made up his mind.  Clara, if she would listen to him, should show her independence of Lady Aylmer by staying a few days with the Askertons before she went to Yorkshire, and by telling Lady Aylmer that such was her intention.  ‘If she really loves the man,’ he said to himself, ’she will go at once, in spite of anything that I can say.  If she does not, I shall be saving her.’

’How cruel of you not to come yesterday! ’ Clara said, as soon as she saw him.,

‘It rained hard,’ he answered.

’ But men like you care so little for rain; but that is when you have business to take you out or pleasure.’

‘You need not be so severe.  The truth is I had things to trouble me.’

‘What troubled you, Will.  I thought all the trouble was mine.’

‘I suppose everybody thinks that his own shoe pinches the hardest.’

’Your shoe can’t pinch you very bad, I should think.  Sometimes when I think of you it seems that you are an embodiment of prosperity and happiness.’

‘I don’t see it myself that’s all.  Did you write to Lady Aylmer, Clara?’

’I wrote; but I didn’t send it.  I would not send any letter till I had shown it to you, as you are my confessor and adviser.  There; read it.  Nothing, I think, could be more courteous or less humble.’  He took the letter and read it.  Clara had simply expressed herself willing to accept Lady Aylmer’s invitation, and asked her ladyship to fix a day.  There was no mention of Captain Aylmer’s name in the note.

‘And you think this is best?’ he said.  His voice was hardly like his own as he spoke.  There was wanting to it that tone of self-assurance which his voice almost always possessed, even when self- assurance was lacking to his words.

‘I thought it was your own advice,’ she said.

’Well yes; that is, I don’t quite know.  You couldn’t go for a week or so yet, I suppose.’

‘Perhaps in about a week.’

‘And what will you do till then.?’

‘What will I do!’

‘Yes where do you mean to stay?’

‘I thought, Will, that perhaps you would let me remain here.’

‘Let you!  Oh, heavens!  Look here, Clara.’

’Before heaven I want what may be the best for you without thinking of you, if I could only help it.’