’That’s what I mean.  So they’re making hay still.  Our hay has been all up these three weeks.  I didn’t know you ever meadowed the park.’  Here he trod with dreadful severity upon the corns of Mr Amedroz, but he did not perceive it.  And when the squire muttered something about a tenant, and the inconvenience of keeping land in his own hands, Belton would have gone on with the subject had not Clara changed the conversation.  The squire complained bitterly of this to Clara when they were alone, saying that it was very heartless.

She had a little scheme of her own a plan arranged for the saying of a few words to her cousin on the earliest opportunity of their being alone together and she contrived that this should take place within half an hour after his arrival, as he went through the hall up to his room.  ‘Mr Belton,’ she said, ’I’m sure you will not take it amiss if I take a cousin’s privilege at once and explain to you something of our way of living here.  My dear father is not very strong.’

‘He is much altered since I saw him last.’

’Oh, yes.  Think of all that he has had to bear!  Well, Mr Belton, the fact is, that we are not so well off as we used to be, and are obliged to live in a very quiet way.  You will not mind that?’

‘Who?  I?’

‘I take it very kind of you, your coming all this way to see us’

‘I’d have come three times the distance.’

’But you must put up with us as you find us, you know.  The truth is we are very poor.’

’Well, now that’s just what I wanted to know.  One couldn’t write and ask such a question; but I was sure I should find out if I came.’

‘You’ve found it out already, you see.’

’As for being poor, it’s a thing I don’t think very much about not for young people.  But it isn’t comfortable when a man gets old.  Now what I want to know is this; can’t something be done?’

’The only thing to do is to be very kind to him.  He has had to let the park to Mr Stovey, and he doesn’t like talking about it.’

‘But if it isn’t talked about, how can it be mended?’

‘It can’t be mended.’

’We’ll see about that.  But I’ll be kind to him; you see if I ain’t.  And I’ll tell you what, I’ll be kind to you too, if you’ll let me.  You have got no brother now.’

‘No,’ said Clara; ‘I have got no brother now.’  Belton was looking full into her face, and saw that her eyes had become clouded with tears.

‘I will be your brother,’ said he.  ’You see if I don’t.  When I say a thing I mean it.  I will be your brother.’  And he took her hand, caressing it, and showing her that he was not in the least afraid of her.  He was blunt in his bearing, saying things which her father would have called indelicate and heartless, as though they gave him no effort, and placing himself at once almost in a position of ascendency.  This Clara had not intended.  She had thought that her farmer cousin, in spite of the superiority of his prospects as heir to the property, would have acceded to her little hints with silent acquiescence; but instead of this he seemed prepared to take upon himself the chief part in the play that was to be acted between them.  ‘Shall it be so?’ he said, still holding her hand.