as well as to her own judgment, there could not but be cause for shrinking.  And yet she believed that she was right.  If she could only have had some one to tell her some one in whom she could trust implicitly to direct her!  She had hitherto been very much prone to rebel against authority.  Against her aunt she had rebelled, and against her father, and against her lover.  But now she wished with all her heart that there might be some one to whom she could submit with perfect faith.  If she could only know what her Cousin Will would think.  In him she thought she could have trusted with that perfect faith if only he would have been a brother to her.

But it was too late now for doubting, and on the next day she found herself getting out of the old Redicote fly, at Colonel Askerton’s door.  He came out to meet her, and his greeting was very friendly.  Hitherto there had been no great intimacy between him and her, owing rather to the manner of life adopted by him than to any cause of mutual dislike between them.  Mrs Askerton had shown herself desirous of some social intercourse since she had been at Belton, but with Colonel Askerton there had been nothing of this.  He had come there intending to live alone, and had been satisfied to carry out his purpose.  But now Clara had come to his house as a guest, and he assumed towards her altogether a new manner.  ‘We are so glad to have you,’ he said, taking both her hands.  Then she passed on into the cottage, and in a minute was in her friend’s arms.

‘Dear Clara dearest Clara, I am so glad to have you here.’

‘It is very good of you.’

’No, dear; the goodness is with you to come.  But we won’t quarrel about that.  We will both be ever so good.  And he is so happy that you should be here.  You’ll get to know him now.  But come upstairs.  There’s a fire in your room, and I’ll be your maid for the occasion because then we can talk.’  Clara did as she was bid and went upstairs; and as she sat over the fire while her friend knelt beside her for Mrs Askerton was given to such kneelings she could not but tell herself that Belton Cottage was much more comfortable than Aylmer Park.  During the whole time of her sojourn at Aylmer Park no word of real friendship had once greeted her ears.  Everything there had been cold and formal, till coldness and formality had given way to violent insolence.

‘And so you have quarrelled with her ladyship,’ said Mrs Askerton.  ’I knew you would.’

‘I have not said anything about quarrelling with her.’

’But of course you have.  Come, now; don’t make yourself disagreeable.  You have had a downright battle have you not?’

‘Something very like it, I’m afraid.’

‘I am so glad,’ said Mrs Askerton, rubbing her hands.

‘That is ill-natured.’

’Very well.  Let it be ill-natured.  One isn’t to be good-natured all round, or what would be the use of it?  And what sort of a woman is she?’