m.

Nothing had been said as yet about the Askertons, and Clara had
resolved that their name should not first be mentioned by her. Mrs.
Askerton had prophesied that Will would have some communication to
make about herself, and Clara would at any rate see whether her
cousin would, of his own accord, introduce the subject. But three
days passed by, and he had made no allusion to the cottage or its
inhabitants. This in itself was singular, as the Askertons were
the only local friends whom Clara knew, and as Belton had become
personally acquainted with Mrs. Askerton. But such was the case;
and when Mr. Amedroz once said something about Mrs. Askerton in the
presence of both Clara and Belton, they both of them shrank from the
subject in a manner that made Clara understand that any conversation
about the Askertons was to be avoided. On the fourth day Clara saw
Mrs. Askerton, but then Will Belton's name was not mentioned. There
was therefore, among them all, a sense of some mystery which made
them uncomfortable, and which seemed to admit of no solution. Clara
was more sure than ever that her cousin had made no inquiries that he
should not have made, and that he would put no information that he
might have to an improper use. But of such certainty on her part she
could say nothing.

Three weeks passed by, and it seemed as though Belton's visit were
to come to an end without any further open trouble. Now and then
something was said about Captain Aylmer; but it was very little, and
Belton made no further reference to his own feelings. It had come
to be understood that his visit was to be limited to a month; and
to both him and Clara the month wore itself away slowly, neither
of them having much pleasure in the society of the other. The old
squire came down-stairs once for an hour or two, and spent the whole
time in bitter complaints. Everything was wrong, and everybody was
ill-treating him. Even with Will he quarrelled, or did his best to
quarrel, in regard to everything about the place, though at the
same time he did not cease to grumble at his visitor for going away
and leaving him. Belton bore it all so well that the grumbling
and quarrelling did not lead to much; but it required all his
good-humour and broad common sense to prevent serious troubles and
misunderstanding.

During the period of her cousin's visit at Belton, Clara received two
letters from Captain Aylmer, who was spending the Christmas holidays
with his father