she were told that she was to be returned as
inferior, she would hold up her head under such disgrace as best she
might, and would not let the tidings break her heart.

"My dear," said Lady Aylmer, as soon as the trotting horses and
rolling wheels made noise enough to prevent her words from reaching
the servants on the box, "I want to say a few words to you;--and I
think that this will be a good opportunity."

"A very good opportunity," said Clara.

"Of course, my dear, you are aware that I have heard of something
going on between you and my son Frederic." Now that Lady Aylmer had
taught herself to call Clara "my dear," it seemed that she could
hardly call her so often enough.

"Of course I know that Captain Aylmer has told you of our engagement.
But for that, I should not be here."

"I don't know how that might be," said Lady Aylmer; "but at any rate,
my dear, he has told me that since the day of my sister's death there
has been--in point of fact, a sort of engagement."

"I don't think Captain Aylmer has spoken of it in that way."

"In what way? Of course he has not said a word that was not nice and
lover-like, and all that sort of thing. I believe he would have done
anything in the world that his aunt had told him; and as to his--"

"Lady Aylmer!" said Clara, feeling that her voice was almost
trembling with anger, "I am sure you cannot intend to be unkind to
me?"

"Certainly not."

"Or to insult me?"

"Insult you, my dear! You should not use such strong words, my dear;
indeed you should not. Nothing of the kind is near my thoughts."

"If you disapprove of my marrying your son, tell me so at once, and I
shall know what to do."

"It depends, my dear;--it depends on circumstances, and that is just
why I want to speak to you."

"Then tell me the circumstances,--though indeed I think it would have
been better if they could have been told to me by Captain Aylmer
himself."

"There, my dear, you must allow me to judge. As a mother, of course
I am anxious for my son. Now Frederic is a poor man. Considering the
kind of society in which he has to live, and the position which he
must maintain as a Member of Parliament, he is a very poor man."

This was an argument which Clara certainly had not expected that
any of the Aylmer family would condescend to use. She had always
regarded Captain Aylmer as a rich man since he had inherited Mrs.
Winterfield's property, knowing that previously to that he had been
able