her
opinion that affairs were in a very frightful position. Belinda went
about the house in melancholy guise, with her eyes rarely lifted off
the ground, as though she were prophetically weeping the utter ruin
of her brother's respectability. And even Sir Anthony had raised
his eyes and shaken his head, when, on opening the post-bag at the
breakfast-table,--an operation which was always performed by Lady
Aylmer in person,--her ladyship had exclaimed, "Again no letter!"
Then Captain Aylmer thought that he would fly, and resolved that,
in the event of such flight, he would give special orders as to the
re-direction of his own letters from the post-office at Whitby.

That evening, after dinner, as soon as his mother and sister had left
the room, he began the subject with his father. "I think I shall go
up to town on Monday, sir," said he.

"So soon as that. I thought you were to stop till the 9th."

"There are things I must see to in London, and I believe I had better
go at once."

"Your mother will be greatly disappointed."

"I shall be sorry for that;--but business is business, you know."
Then the father filled his glass and passed the bottle. He himself
did not at all like the idea of his son's going before the appointed
time, but he did not say a word of himself. He looked at the red-hot
coals, and a hazy glimmer of a thought passed through his mind, that
he too would escape from Aylmer Park,--if it were possible.

"If you'll allow me, I'll take the dog-cart over to Whitby on Monday,
for the express train."

"You can do that certainly, but--"

"Sir?"

"Have you spoken to your mother yet?"

"Not yet. I will to-night."

"I think she'll be a little angry, Fred." There was a sudden tone of
subdued confidence in the old man's voice as he made this suggestion,
which, though it was by no means a customary tone, his son well
understood. "Don't you think she will be;--eh, a little?"

"She shouldn't go on as she does with me about Clara," said the
Captain.

"Ah,--I supposed there was something of that. Are you drinking port?"

"Of course I know that she means all that is good," said the son,
passing back the bottle.

"Oh yes;--she means all that is good."

"She is the best mother in the world."

"You may say that, Fred;--and the best wife."

"But if she can't have her own way altogether--" Then the son paused,
and the father shook his head.

"Of course she likes to have her own way," said Sir Anthony.