‘It is much more then than I know myself.’

‘That I can believe too.  Do you travel down to Yorkshire alone?’

‘No; Captain Aylmer will meet me in town.’

Then Mrs Askerton looked at Mr Belton, but made no immediate reply; nor did she say anything further about Clara’s journey.  She looked at Mr Belton, and Will caught her eye, and understood that he was being rebuked for not having carried out that little scheme which, had been prepared for him.  But he had come to hate the scheme, and almost hated Mrs Askerton for proposing it.  He had declared to himself that her welfare, Clara’s welfare, was the one thing which the should regard; and he had told himself that he was not strong enough, either in purpose or in wit, to devise schemes for her welfare.  She was better able to manage things for herself than he was to manage them for her.  If she loved this ‘accursed beast,’ let her marry him; only for that was now his one difficulty only he could not bring himself to think it possible that she should love him.

‘I suppose you will never see this place again?’ said Mrs Askerton after a long pause.

‘I hope I shall, very often,’ said Clara.  ’Why should I not see it again?  It is not going out of the family.’

’No not exactly out of the family.  That is, it will belong to your cousin.’

’And cousins may be as far apart as strangers, you mean; but Will and I are not like that; are we, Will?’

‘I hardly know what we are like,’ said he.

’You do not mean to say that you will throw me over?  But the truth is, Mrs Askerton, that I do not mean to be thrown over.  I look upon him as my brother, and I intend to cling to him as sisters do cling.’

‘You will hardly come back here before you are married,’ said Mrs Askerton.  It was a terrible speech for her to make, and could only be excused on the ground that the speaker was in truth desirous of doing that which she thought would benefit both of those whom she addressed.

‘Of course you are going to your wedding now?’

‘I am doing nothing of the kind,’ said Clara.  ’How can you speak in that way to me so soon after my father’s death?  It is a rebuke to me for being here at all.’

’I intend no rebuke, as you well know.  What I mean is this; if you do not stay in Yorkshire till you are married, let the time be when it may, where do you intend to go in the meantime?’

‘My plans are not settled yet.’

‘She will have this house if she pleases,’ said Will.  ’There will be no one else here.  It will be her own, to do as she likes with it.’

‘She will hardly come here to be alone.’

‘I will not be inquired into, my dear,’ said Clara, speaking with restored good-humour.  ’Of course I am an unprotected female, and subject to disadvantages.  Perhaps I have no plans for the future; and if I have plans, perhaps I do not mean to divulge them.’