im at the spur of the moment, she
remained silent. Then he continued, "You may be sure, Miss Amedroz,
that I should not make so strange a request to you if I had not good
reason for making it."

"I think it a very strange request."

"And nothing but a strong conviction of its propriety on my part
would have induced me to make it."

"If you do not want to see my cousin, why cannot you avoid him
without saying anything to me on the subject?"

"Because you would not then have understood as thoroughly as I wish
you to do why I kept out of his way. For my wife's sake,--and for
yours, if you will allow me to say so,--I do not wish to come to any
open quarrel with him; but if we met, a quarrel would, I think, be
inevitable. Mary has probably explained to you the nature of his
offence against us?"

"Mrs. Askerton has told me something as to which I am quite sure that
she is mistaken."

"I will say nothing about that, as I have no wish at all to set you
against your cousin. I will bid you good-night now as you are close
at home." Then he turned round and left her.

Clara, as she thought of all this, could not but call to mind her
cousin's remembrances about Miss Vigo and Mr. Berdmore. What if he
made some inquiry as to the correctness of his old recollections?
Nothing, she thought, could be more natural. And then she reflected
that, in the ordinary way of the world, persons feel none of that
violent objection to the asking of questions about their antecedents
which was now evinced by both Colonel and Mrs. Askerton. But of
one thing she felt quite assured,--that her cousin, Will Belton,
would make no inquiry which he ought not to make; and would make no
improper use of any information which he might obtain.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE HEIR'S SECOND VISIT TO BELTON.

Clara began to doubt whether any possible arrangement of the
circumstances of her life could be regarded as fortunate. She was
very fond, in a different degree and after a different fashion, of
both Captain Aylmer and Mr. Belton. As regarded both, her position
was now exactly what she herself would have wished. The man that
she loved was betrothed to her, and the other man, whom she loved
indeed also as a brother, was coming to her in that guise,--with the
understanding that that was to be his position. And yet everything
was going wrong! Her father, though he did not actually say anything
against Captain Aylmer, showed by a hundred little signs, of which