e troubled about them in this way--first by
Wright and then by you."

"They have been very good tenants, papa."

"You needn't tell me that, Clara, and remind me about the shooting
when you know how unhappy it makes me."

After this Clara said nothing more, and simply determined that Mr.
Wright and his gossip should have no effect upon her intimacy with
Mrs. Askerton. But not the less did she continue to remember what her
cousin had said about Miss Vigo.

And she had been ruffled a second time by certain observations which
Mrs. Askerton made to her respecting her cousin--or rather by little
words which were dropped on various occasions. It was very clear
that Mrs. Askerton did not like Mr. Belton, and that she wished to
prejudice Clara against him. "It's a pity he shouldn't be a lover
of yours," the lady said, "because it would be such a fine instance
of Beauty and the Beast." It will of course be understood that Mrs.
Askerton had never been told of the offer that had been made.

"You don't mean to say that he's not a handsome man," said Clara.

"I never observe whether a man is handsome or not; but I can see very
well whether he knows what to do with his arms and legs, or whether
he has the proper use of his voice before ladies." Clara remembered a
word or two spoken by her cousin to herself, in speaking which he had
seemed to have a very proper use of his voice. "I know when a man is
at ease like a gentleman, and when he is awkward like a--"

"Like a what?" said Clara. "Finish what you've got to say."

"Like a ploughboy, I was going to say," said Mrs. Askerton.

"I declare I think you have a spite against him, because he said you
were like some Miss Vigo," replied Clara, sharply. Mrs. Askerton was
on that occasion silenced, and she said nothing more about Mr. Belton
till after Clara had returned from Perivale.

The journey itself from Belton to Perivale was always a nuisance, and
was more so now than usual, as it was made in the disagreeable month
of November. There was kept at the little inn at Redicote an old
fly--so called--which habitually made the journey to the Taunton
railway-station, under the conduct of an old grey horse and an
older and greyer driver, whenever any of the old ladies of the
neighbourhood were minded to leave their homes. This vehicle usually
travelled at the rate of five miles an hour; but the old grey driver
was never content to have time allowed to him for the transit
calculated u