‘There is no need for any more talking about
it,’ be replied. And there was no more
talking between them, on that subject or on any other,
till the tickets bad been taken and the train was
again in motion. Then he referred to it again
for a moment. ’You will tell Captain Aylmer,
my dear.’
’I will tell him what you say, that he may know
your generosity. But of course he will agree
with me that no such offer can be accepted. It
is quite quite quite out of the question.’
’You had better tell him and say nothing more;
or you can ask him to see Mr Green after tomorrow.
He, as a man who understands business, will know that
this arrangement must he made, if I choose to make
it. Come; here we are. Porter, a four-wheeled
cab. Do you go with him, and I’ll look
after the luggage.’
Clara, as she got into the cab, felt that she ought
to have been more stout in her resistance to his offer.
But it would be better, perhaps, that she should write
to him from Aylmer Park, and get Frederic to write
also.
THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY HOTEL
At the door of the hotel of the Great Northern Railway
Station they met Captain Aylmer. Rooms had been
taken there because they were to start by an early
train on that line in the morning, and Captain Aylmer
had undertaken to order dinner. There was nothing
particular in the meeting to make it unpleasant to
our friend Will. The fortunate rival could do
no more in the hall of the inn than give his hand to
his affianced bride, as he might do to any other lady,
and then suggest to her that she should go upstairs
and see her room. When he had done this, he also
offered his hand to Belton; and Will, though he would
almost sooner have out off his own, was obliged to
take it. In a few minutes the two men were standing
alone together in the sitting-room.
‘I suppose you found it cold coming up?’
said the captain.
‘Not particularly,’ said Will.
‘It’s rather a long journey from Belton.’
‘Not very long,’ said Will.
‘Not for you, perhaps; but Miss Amedroz must
be tired.’
Belton was angry at having his cousin called Miss
Amedroz feeling that the reserve of the name was intended
to keep him at a distance. But he would have
been equally angry had Aylmer called her Clara.
‘My cousin,’ said Will, stoutly, ’is
able to bear slight fatigue of that kind without suffering.’
’I didn’t suppose she suffered; but journeys
are always tedious, especially where there is so much
roadwork. I believe you are twenty miles from
the station?’
‘Belton Castle is something over twenty miles
from Taunton.’
’We are seven from our station at Aylmer Park,
and we think that a great deal.’
‘I’m more than that at Plaistow,’
said Will.
‘Oh, indeed. Plaistow is in Norfolk, I
believe?’
