‘Thank you, Sir Anthony.  I’m glad to hear you say even as much as that.’

’Of course money is very desirable for a man situated like Fred; but he’ll have enough, and if he is pleased, I am.  Personally, as regards yourself, I am more than pleased.  I am indeed.’

‘It’s very good of you to say so.’

Sir Anthony looked at Clara, and his heart was softened towards her as he saw that there was a tear in her eye.  A man’s heart must be very hard when it does not become softened by the trouble of a woman with whom he finds himself alone.  ’I don’t know how you and Lady Aylmer get on together,’ he said; ’but it will not be my fault if we are not friends.’

‘I am afraid that Lady Aylmer does not like me,’ said Clara.

’Indeed.  I was afraid there was something of that.  But you must remember she is hard to please.  You’ll find she’ll come round in time.’

‘She thinks that Captain Aylmer should not marry a woman without money.’

’That’s all very well; but I don’t see why Fred shouldn’t please himself, He’s old enough to know what he wants.’

’Is he, Sir Anthony?  That’s just the question.  I’m not quite sure that he does know what he wants.’

‘Fred doesn’t know, do you mean?’

’I don’t quite think he does, sir.  And the worst of it is, I am in doubt as well as he.’

‘In doubt about marrying him?’

’In doubt whether it will be good for him or for any of us.  I don’t like to come into a family that does not desire to have me.’

‘You shouldn’t think so much of Lady Aylmer as all that, my dear.’

‘But I do think a great deal of her.’

’I shall be very glad to have you as a daughter-in-law.  And as for Lady Aylmer between you and me, my dear, you shouldn’t take every word she says so much to heart.  She’s the best woman in the world, and I’m sure I’m bound to say so.  But she has her temper, you know; and I don’t think you ought to give way to her altogether.  There’s the carriage.  It won’t do you any good if we’re found together talking over it all; will it?’ Then the baronet hobbled off, and Lady Aylmer, when she entered the room, found Clara sitting alone.

Whether it was that the wife was clever enough to extract from her husband something of the conversation that had passed between him and Clara, or whether she had some other source of information or whether her conduct might proceed from other grounds, we need not inquire; but from that afternoon Lady Aylmer’s manner and words to Clara became much less courteous than they had been before.  She would always speak as though some great iniquity was being committed, and went about the house with a portentous frown, as though some terrible measure must soon be taken with the object of putting an end to the present extremely improper state of things.  All this was so manifest to Clara, that she said to Sir Anthony one day that she could no longer bear the look of Lady Aylmer’s