‘That would not interest him very much.’

’Why not?  Do you suppose he is not interested in those I love?  Indeed, it did interest him; and he told me what I did not know before, and what you ought to have told me.’

Clara now blushed, she knew not why, and became agitated.  ’I don’t know that I have kept anything from you that I ought to have told,’ she said.

’He says that the provision made for you by your father has all been squandered.’

‘If he used that word he has been very unkind,’ said Clara, angrily.

’I don’t know what word he used, but he was not unkind at all; he never is.  I think he was very generous.

‘I do not want his generosity, aunt,’

’That is nonsense, my dear.  If he has told me the truth, what have you to depend on?’

‘I don’t want to depend on anything.  I hate hearing about it.’

’Clara, I wonder you can talk in that way.  If you were only seventeen it would be very foolish; but at your age it is inexcusable.  When I am gone, and your father is gone, who is to provide for you?  Will your cousin do it Mr Belton, who is to have the property?’

’Yes, he would if I would let him of course I would not let him.  But, aunt, pray do not go on.  I would sooner have to starve than talk about it at all.’

There was another pause; but Clara again knew that the conversation was not over; and she knew also that it would be vain for her to endeavour to begin another subject.  Nor could she think of anything else to say, so much was she agitated.

‘What makes you suppose that Mr Belton would be so liberal?’ asked Mrs Winterfield.

’I don’t know.  I can’t say.  He is the nearest relation I shall have; and of all the people I ever knew he is the best, and the most generous, and the least selfish.  When he came to us papa was quite hostile to him disliking his very name; but when the time came, papa could not bear to think of his going, because he had been so good.’

‘Clara!’

‘Well, aunt.’

‘I hope you know my affection for you.’

‘Of course I do, aunt; and I hope you trust mine for you also.’

‘Is there anything between you and Mr Belton besides cousinship?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Because if I thought that, my trouble would of course be at an end.’

‘There is nothing but pray do not lot me be a trouble to you.’  Clara, for a moment, almost resolved to tell her aunt the whole truth; but she remembered that she would be treating her cousin badly if she told the story of his rejection.

There was another short period of silence, and then Mrs Winterfield went on.  ’Frederic thinks that I should make some provision for you by will.  That, of course, is the same as though he offered to do it himself.  I told him that it would be so, and I read him my will last night.  He said that that made no difference, and recommended me to add a codicil.  I asked him how much I ought to give you, and he said fifteen hundred pounds.  There will be as much as that after burying me without burden to the estate.  You must acknowledge that he has been very generous.’