what has taken place just now between you and her, or what between her and your mother; but I suppose the whole thing might fall through without any further trouble to you or without anything unhandsome on your part?’ But Captain Aylmer still said nothing.  The whole thing might, no doubt, fall through, but he wished to be neither unjust nor ungenerous and he specially wished to avoid anything unhandsome.  After a further pause of a few minutes, Sir Anthony went on again, pouring forth the words of experience.  ’Of course marriage is all very well.  I married rather early in life, and have always found your mother to be a most excellent woman.  A better woman doesn’t breathe.  I’m as sure of that as I am of anything.  But God bless me of course you can see.  I can’t call anything my own.  I’m tied down here and I can’t move.  I’ve never got a shilling to spend, while all these lazy hounds about the place are eating me up.  There isn’t a clerk with a hundred a year in London that isn’t better off than I am as regards ready money.  And what comfort have I in a big house, and no end of gardens, and a place like this?  What pleasures do I get out of it?  That comes of marrying and keeping up one’s name in the county respectably!  What do I care for the county?  D the county!  I often wish that I’d been a younger son as you are.’

Captain Aylmer had no answer to make to all this.  It was, no doubt, the fact that age and good living had made Sir Anthony altogether incapable of enjoying the kind of life which he desiderated, and that he would probably have eaten and drunk himself into his grave long since had that kind of life been within his reach.  This, however, the son could not explain to the father.  But in fitting, as he endeavoured to do, his father’s words to his own case, Captain Aylmer did perceive that a bachelor’s life might perhaps be the most suitable to his own peculiar case.  Only he would do nothing unhandsome.  As to that he was quite resolved.  Of course Clara must show herself to be in some degree amenable to reason and to the ordinary rules of the world; but he was aware that his mother was hot. tempered, and he generously made up his mind that he would give Miss Amedroz even yet another chance.

At the hotel in London Clara found a short note from Mrs Askerton, in which she was warmly assured that everything should be done to make her comfortable at the cottage as long as she should wish to stay there.  But the very warmth of affection thus expressed made her almost shrink from what she was about to do.  Mrs Askerton was no doubt anxious for her coming; but would her Cousin Will Belton approve of the visit; and what would her Cousin Mary say about it?  If she was being driven into this step against her own approval, by the insolence of Lady Aylmer if she was doing this thing simply because Lady Aylmer had desired her not to do it, and was doing it in opposition to the wishes of the man she had promised to marry