The Belton Estate

ed him while he sat by her side, by the hour together, answering little questions and making little remarks suited to the temperament of the old lady's mind. She, herself, was hardly called upon to

incere man. On the following day Aylmer was out all the morning, paying visits among his constituents, and at three o'clock he was to make his speech in the Town-hall. Special places in the gallery were to be kept for Mrs. Winterfield and her niece, and the old wo

would be no prayers. "But they have prayers in the Houses of Parliament," said Mrs. Winterfield, with much anger. To this the town councillor's wife, who was almost silenced by the great lady's wrath, said that indeed she did not know. After this Mrs. Winterfield continued to hope for the best, till the platform was filled and

circle,-and old England was to be old England once again. He did the thing tolerably well, as such gentlemen usually do, and Perivale was contented with its member, with the exception of one Perivalian. To Mrs. Winterfield, sitting up there and listening with all her ears, it seemed that he had hitherto omitted all allusion to any subject that was worthy of mention. At last he said some word about the marriage and divorce court, condemning the iniquity of the present law, to which Perivale had opposed itself violently by petition and general meetings; and upon hearing this Mrs. Winterfield had thum

, of course," she said; "but I do not even hear of any that are like him." Again Clara thought of her cousin Will. Will was not at all like Frederic Aylmer; but was he n

y as a member of Parliame

so much that is better, it is a great deal. I am told that

, a

ble to think

oath, or something of that sort,

w; and I'm told that most of them are that, or nearly as bad. I can remember when no Papist could sit in Parliame

it must

being over. Clara knew her aunt's ways so well, that she was sure something more was coming, and therefore waited patient

ot interest h

love? Indeed, it did interest him; and he told me what I

agitated. "I don't know that I have kept anythin

made for you by your fathe

he has been very unkin

t he was not unkind at all; he neve

nt his gener

If he has told me the truth,

end on anything. I h

foolish; but at your age it is inexcusable. When I am gone, and your father is gone, wh

d not let him. But, aunt, pray do not go on. I woul

r; and she knew also that it would be vain for her to endeavour to begin anothe

Mr. Belton would be so libe

e best, and the most generous, and the least selfish. When he came to us papa was quite hostile to him-dislikin

la

l, a

now my affect

; and I hope you trus

ween you and Mr. Belto

thi

hat, my trouble would o

ment, almost resolved to tell her aunt the whole truth; but she remembered that

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

er with a brother's care was sweeter to her by far than Frederic Aylmer's well-balanced counsel to his aunt on her behalf. In her present mood, too, she wanted no one to have forethought for her; she desired no provision; for her, in the discomfiture of heart, there was consolation in the feeling that when she should find herself alone in the world, she would have been ill-treated by her friends all round her. There was a charm in the prosp

bout it, aunt. What can I say but that

ry few women can attain,-tha

rangled by the time they are thirty," said Clara with

y anything so wicked,-

bread? But I am not above being a housemaid, and so Captain Aylmer shall find. I'd sooner be a housemaid, with nothing

it to you. It is not to be

u are to do it; and you told me just no

g ago, had you told me all the tr

t all this was to be said to me about money, and that our poverty was to be talked over between you and Captain Aylmer,

f you remembered that this will p

lk about these things. And it will be so much b

you might both be with me to

never come t

nk that he w

woman under such circumstances is hardly to be considered a lie at all. It is spoken with no mea

continued Mrs. Winterfield, "

cannot be matter of any fault that two

uld be indelicate even in me to have done that. Bu

es. And so do I

rate at Perivale, and always dined at the house on Sundays between services, when Mrs. Winterfield was very particular

nger, aunt, I c

hat you are always sharp with him. You don't want to quarrel with

hings you say to me wit

any portion of my little property from Frederic,-believing as I did then, that the money intended for you by your father was still remainin

of course

erself back in her arm-chair, closing her eyes, while she kept fast clasped in her hands the little book of daily devotion which she had been striving to read when the conversation had been commenced. Clara knew then that nothing more was to be said, and that

burst out into loud praises of Captain Aylmer; and of such nature was the gratitude which Mrs. Winterfield had desired. She was not grateful to Captain Aylmer, and wanted nothing that was to come from his generosity. And then her mind went away to that other portion of her aunt's discourse. Could it be possible that this man was in truth attached to her, and was repelled simply by her own manner? She was aware that she had fallen into a habit of fighting with him, of sparring against him with words about indifferent things, and calling his conduct in question in a manner half playful and half se

stomary with Mrs. Winterfield in winter, two fires; and the candles were in the back-room, while the two ladies sat in that looking out into the street. This Mrs. Winterfield did to save her eyes from the candles, and yet to be within reach of light if it were wanted. And Clara also sat motionless in the dark, careful not to

the back-room, and he followed her with noiseless step. "She did not sleep at all last night," said Clara; "and now the unusual excitement of the day has fatigued her, and I th

red when she got

as been talking

en about her

-she

n that matter. But she had no wish to discuss her aunt's will with him, and therefore, to bre

aid. I did come away early, and perhaps have given af

e wakes. She will be del

Frederic come in. It is very good of him to co

his kind, repenting of them, no doubt, in those frequent moments in which they talk to their friends of their own terrible vilenesses. Captain Aylmer then explained that his own health had been drunk, and his aunt desired to know whether, in returning thanks, he had been able to say anything further against that wicked Divorce Act of Parliament. This her nephew was constrained to answer with a negati

n the Town-hall, and I shall be better in my own room." Clara offered to go with her, but this attendance her aunt declined,-as she did al

long," said Captain Aylmer, s

elieve that; but she is

er duty to the last. In spite of all that, however, I can see how changed she is since the

ore to her now than any o

in with her over Ch

her do? Papa is as old, or

e is s

he has no such servant as Martha to be with him. Women can

uld do to prevent it, continual references were made by Captain Aylmer to her money and her will, and the need of an addition to that will on Clara's b

I am driven to

r thoughts; but I can assure y

ween you and me." This he said after he had been silent for

here is any particul

empt to speak to you as a friend you draw yourself off fro

, Captain

with my au

ind

t; but I am sure that a stranger seei

ght not to do. But all my life everything that

o natural that you an

s, Captain Aylmer

u always repel me;-as though you were determined to le

are, or will be, a rich man, and you have everything the

I should not be intere

rfield. And nothing, to my idea, can be more objectionable than any sort of dependence from a woman of my age on a man of y

ainly,"

r pardon; but I was driven to explain myself." Th

ended me," he sai

ht, Capta

nd kept it. "Say t

d we not b

y the very dearest." He still held her hand, and was looking into her face as he spoke. For a moment she stood there, bearing his gaze, as though she e