should annoy papa?"

"In your papa's condition, my dear, the coming of any one will annoy
him. At least, he will say so; though I do not in the least doubt
that he will like the excitement better even than you will."

"I can't say there will be much excitement to me."

"No excitement in a young man's coming into the house! Without
shocking your propriety, allow me to say that that is impossible. Of
course, he is coming to see whether he can't make matters all right
by marrying you."

"That's nonsense, Mrs. Askerton."

"Very well. Let it be nonsense. But why shouldn't he? It's just what
he ought to do. He hasn't got a wife; and, as far as I know, you
haven't got a lover."

"I certainly have not got a lover."

"Our religious nephew at Perivale does not seem to be of any use."

"I wish, Mrs. Askerton, you would not speak of Captain Aylmer in that
way. I don't know any man whom I like so much, or at any rate better,
than Captain Aylmer; but I hate the idea that no girl can become
acquainted with an unmarried man without having her name mentioned
with his, and having to hear ill-natured remarks of that kind."

"I hope you will learn to like this other man much better. Think how
nice it will be to be mistress of the old place after all. And then
to go back to the old family name! If I were you I would make up my
mind not to let him leave the place till I had brought him to my
feet."

"If you go on like that I will not speak to you about him again."

"Or rather not to my feet,--for gentlemen have laid aside the humble
way of making love for the last twenty years at least; but I don't
know whether the women haven't gained quite as much by the change as
the men."

"As I know nothing will stop you when you once get into a vein of
that kind, I shall go," said Clara. "And till this man has come and
gone I shall not mention his name again in your presence."

"So be it," said Mrs. Askerton; "but as I will promise to say nothing
more about him, you need not go on his account." But Clara had got
up, and did leave the cottage at once.

CHAPTER III.

WILL BELTON.

Mr. Belton came to the castle, and nothing further had been said at
the cottage about his coming. Clara had seen Mrs. Askerton in the
meantime frequently, but that lady had kept her promise--almost to
Clara's disappointment. For she--though she had in truth disliked the
proposition that her cousin could be coming with any special views
with refere