‘It’s all settled now, Clara.’

’I don’t think that you can lessen the weight of your obligation, Miss Amedroz, after what has been done up in London,’ said the colonel.

‘If you had said a hundred a year’

‘I have been allowed to say nothing,’ said Belton; ’those people have said eight and so it is settled.  When are you coming over to see Mary?’

To this question he got no definite answer, and as he went away immediately afterwards he hardly seemed to expect one.  He did not even ask for Mrs Askerton, and as that lady remarked, behaved altogether like a bear.  ‘But what a munificent bear!’ she said.  ’Fancy eight hundred a year of your own.  One begins to doubt whether it is worth one’s while to marry at all with such an income as that to do what one likes with!  However, it all means nothing.  It will all be his own again before you have even touched it.’

‘You must not say anything more about that,’ said Clara gravely.

‘And why must I not?’

’Because I shall hear nothing more of it.  There is an end of all that as there ought to be.’

’Why an end?  I don’t see an end.  There will be no end till Belton of Belton has got you and your eight hundred a year as well as everything else.’

‘You will find that he does not mean anything more,’ said Clara.

‘You think not?’

‘I am sure of it.’  Then there was a little sound in her throat as though she were in some danger of being choked; but she soon recovered herself, and was able to express herself clearly.  ’I have only one favour to ask you now, Mrs Askerton, and that is that you will never say anything more about him.  He has changed his mind.  Of course he has, or he would not come here like that and have gone away without saying a word.’

’Not a word!  A man gives you eight hundred a year and that is not saying a word!’

’Not a word except about money!  But of course he is right.  I know that he is right.  Alter what has passed he would be very wrong to to think about it any more.  You joke about his being Belton of Belton.  But it does make a difference.’

‘It does does it?’

’It has made a difference.  I see and feel it now.  I shall never hear him ask me that question any more.’

‘And if you did hear him, what answer would you make him?’

‘I don’t know.’

’That is just it.  Women are so cross-grained that it is a wonder to me that men should ever have any. thing to do with them.  They have about them some madness of a phantasy which they dignify with the name of feminine pride, and under the cloak of this they believe themselves to be justified in tormenting their lovers’ lives out.  The only consolation is that they torment themselves as much.  Can anything be more cross-grained than you are at this moment?  You were resolved just now that it would be the most unbecoming thing in the world if he spoke a word more about his love for the next twelve months’