er than I do."

Clara, when she got to her own room, was very serious and very sad.
What was to be the end of it all? This had been her first meeting
after her father's death with the man whom she had promised to marry;
indeed, it was the first meeting after her promise had been given;
and they had only met to quarrel. There had been no word of love
spoken between them. She had parted from him now almost in anger,
without the slightest expression of confidence between them,--almost
as those part who are constrained by circumstances to be together,
but who yet hate each other and know that they hate each other. Was
there in truth any love between him and her? And if there was none,
could there be any advantage, any good either to him or to her, in
this journey of hers to Aylmer Park? Would it not be better that she
should send for him and tell him that they were not suited for each
other, and that thus she should escape from all the terrors of Lady
Aylmer? As she thought of this, she could not but think of Will
Belton also. Not a gentleman! If Will Belton was not a gentleman, she
desired to know nothing further of gentlemen. Women are so good and
kind that those whom they love they love almost the more when they
commit offences, because of the offences so committed. Will Belton
had been guilty of great offences,--of offences for which Clara was
prepared to lecture him in the gravest manner should opportunities
for such lectures ever come;--but I think that they had increased
her regard for him rather than diminished it. She could not, however,
make up her mind to send for Captain Aylmer, and when she went to bed
she had resolved that the visit to Yorkshire must be made.

Before she left the room the following morning, a letter was brought
to her from her cousin, which had been written that morning. She
asked the maid to inquire for him, and sent down word to him that if
he were in the house she specially wished to see him; but the tidings
came from the hall porter that he had gone out very early, and had
expressly said that he should not breakfast at the inn.

The letter was as follows:--

DEAR CLARA,

I meant to have handed to you the enclosed in person, but
I lost my temper last night,--like a fool as I am,--and so
I couldn't do it. You need not have any scruple about the
money which I send,--L100 in ten ten-pound notes,--as it
is your own. There is the rent due up to your father's
death,