I like to "Are you not sure of it?" "But I like you to tell me so. feel that you are not ashamed to own it. You ought to say it a few times to me, as I have said it so very often to you." "You'll hear enough of it before you've done with me." "I shall never have heard enough of it. Oh, heavens, only think, when I was coming down in the train last night I was in such a bad way." "And are you in a good way now?" "Yes; in a very good way. I shall crow over Mary so when I get home." "And what has poor Mary done?" "I dare say she knows what is good for you better than you know yourself. I suppose she has told you that you might do a great deal better than trouble yourself with a wife." "Never mind what she has told me. is settled now; is it not?" I hope so, Will.” 66 It "But not quite settled as yet. When shall it be? That is the next question." But to that question Clara positively refused to make any reply that her lover would consider to be satisfactory. He continued to press her till she was at last driven to remind him how very short a time it was since her father had been among them; and then he was very angry with himself, and declared himself to be a brute. "Anything but that," she said. "You are the kindest and the best of men ;- - but at the same time the most impatient." "That's what Mary says; but what's the good of waiting? She wanted me to wait to-day." 66 And as you would not, you have fallen into a trap out of which you can never escape. But pray let us go. What will they think of us?" "I shouldn't wonder if they didn't think something near the truth." "Whatever they think, we will go back. It is ever so much past nine." "Before you stir, Clara, tell me one thing. Are you really happy?" "Very happy?" "And are you glad that this has been done?" "Very glad. Will that satisfy you?" "And you do love me?" I do I do -I do. Can I say more than that?" "More than anybody else in the world?" "Better than all the world put together." "Then," said he, holding her tight in his arms, "show me that you love me." And as he made his request he was quick to explain to her what, according to his ideas, was the becoming mode by which lovers might show their love. I wonder whether it ever occurred to Clara, as she thought of it all before she went to bed that night, that Captain Aylmer and William Belton were very different in their manners. And if so, I must wonder further whether she most approved the manners of the patient man or the man who was impatient. "Pray "I heard before leaving London that vou are engaged to marry your cousin Mr. William Belton, and I think that perhaps you may be satisfied to have a line from me to let you know that I quite approve of the marriage." "I do not care very much for his approval or disapproval," said Clara as she read this. "No doubt it will be the best thing you can do, especially as it will heal all the sores arising from the entail."" There never was any sore," said Clara. give my compliments to Mr. Belton, and offer him my congratulations, and tell him that I wish him all happiness in the married state." Married fiddlestick!" said Clara. In this she was unreasonable; but the euphonious platitudes of Captain Aylmer were so unlike the vehement protestations of Mr. Belton that she must be excused if by this this time she had come to entertain something of an unreasonable aversion for the former. THIRD SERIES. LIVING AGE. VOL. XXXII. "I hope you will not receive my news 1449. with perfect indifference when I tell you and with heartfelt wishes for your future that I also am going to be married. The happiness. Believe me to be always "Most faithfully and sincerely yours. one." The letter which was last read was as follows: "Plaistow, August, 186—. "DEAREST CLARA, 66 lady is one whom 1 have known for a long time, and have always esteemed very highly. She is Lady Emily Tagmaggert, the youngest daughter of the Earl of Mull." "Esteem!" said Clara, as she finished Why Clara should immediately have con- the letter. "I wonder which he esteems ceived a feeling of supreme contempt for the most, me or Lady Emily Tagmaggert. Lady Emily Tagmaggert, and assured herself He will never get beyond esteem with any that her ladyship was a thin, dry, cross old maid with a red nose, I cannot explain; but I do know that such were her thoughts, almost instantaneously, in reference to Captain Aylmer's future bride. "Lady Emily is a very intimate friend of my sister's; and you, who know how our family cling together, will feel how thankful I must be "I don't think I shall ever get done, and when I tell you that my mother quite ap- I am coming to hate farming. It is awful proves of the engagement. I suppose we lonely here, too; and I pass all my evenshall be married early in the spring. We ings by myself, wondering why I should be shall probably spend some months every doomed to this kind of thing, while you and year at Perivale, and I hope that we may Mary are comfortable together at Belton. look forward to the pleasure of seeing you We have begun with the wheat, and as soon some time as a guest beneath our roof." On as that is safe I shall cut and run. I shall reading this Clara shuddered, and made leave the barley to Bunce. Bunce knows as some inward protestation which seemed to much about it as I do, and as for remainimply that she had no wish whatever to re- ing here all the summer, it's out of the visit the dull streets of the little town with question. which she had been so well acquainted. "I My own dear, darling love, of course I hope she'll be good to poor Mr. Possitt," don't intend to urge you to do anything said Clara, "and give him port wine on that you don't like; but upon my honour I Sundays." don't see the force of what you say. You "I have one more thing that I ought to know I have as much respect for your say. You will remember that I intended to father's memory as anybody, but what harm pay my aunt's legacy immediately after her can it do to him that we should be married death, but that I was prevented by circum- at once? Don't you think he would have stances which I could not control. I have wished it himself? It can be ever so quiet. paid it now into Mr. Green's hands on your So long as it's done, I don't care a straw account, together with the sum of £59 18s. how it's done. Indeed for the matter of that 3d., which is due upon it as interest at the I always think it would be best just to walk rate of five per cent. I hope that this may be to church and to walk home again without satisfactory." "It is not satisfactory at all," saying anything to anybody. I hate fuss and said Clara, putting down the letter, and re- nonsense, and really I don't think anybody solving that Will Belton should be instructed would have a right to say anything if we to repay the money instantly. It may, how were to do it at once in that sort of way. I ever, be explained here that in this matter have had a bad time of it for the last Clara was doomed to be disappointed; and twelve months. You must allow that, and that she was forced, by Mr. Green's argu- I think that I ought to be rewarded. ments, to receive the money. "Then it "As for living, you shall have your shall go to the hospital at Perivale," she de- choice. Indeed you shall live anywhere clared when those arguments were used. As you please; at Timbuctoo if you like it. to that, Mr. Green was quite indifferent, I don't want to give up Plastow, because but I do not think that the legacy which my father and grandfather farmed the land troubled poor Aunt Winterfield so much on themselves; but I am quite prepared not to her dying bed was ultimately applied to so live here. I don't think it would suit you, worthy a purpose. because it has so much of the farm-house about it. Only I should like you sometimes to come and look at the old place. What I should like would be to pull down the house "And now, my dear Miss Amedroz," continued the letter, "I will say farewell, with many assurances of my unaltered esteem, at Belton and build another. But you musn't propose to put it off till that's done, as I should never have the heart to do it. If you think that would suit you, I'll make up my mind to live at Belton for a constancy; and then I'd go in for a lot of cattle, and don't doubt I'd make a fortune. I'm almost sick of looking at the straight ridges in the big square fields every day of my life. "Give my love to Mary. I hope she fights my battle for me. Pray think of all this, and relent if you can. I do so long to have an end of this purgatory. If there was any use, I wouldn't say a word; but there's no good in being tortured, when there is no use. God bless you, dearest love. I do love you so well! "Yours most affectionately, "W. BELTON." She kissed the letter twice, pressed it to her bosom, and then sat silent for half an hour thinking of it;-of it, and the man who wrote it, and of the man who had written the other letter. She could not but remember how that other man had thought to treat her, when it was his intention and her intention that they two should join their lots together; how cold he had been; how full of caution and counsel; how he had preached to her himself, and threatened her with the preaching of his mother; how manifestly he had purposed to make her life a sacrifice to his life; how he had premediated her incarceration at Perivale, while he should be living a bachelor's life in London! Will Belton's ideas of married life were very different. Only come to me now, immediately, and everything else shall be disposed just as you please. This was his offer. What he proposed to give, or rather his willingness to be thus generous, was very sweet to her; but it was not half so sweet as his impatience in demanding his reward. How she doted on him because he considered his present state to be a purgatory! How could she refuse anything she could give to one who desired her gifts so strongly? at once, As for her future residence, it would be a matter of indifference to her where she should live, so long as she might live with him; but for him, she felt that but one spot in the world was fit for him. He was Belton of Belton, and it would not be becoming that he should live elsewhere. Of course she would go with him to Plaistow Hall as often as he might wish it; but Belton Castle should be his permanent rest ing-place. It would be her duty to be proud for him, and therefore, for his sake, she would beg that their home might be in Somersetshire. "Mary,” she said to her cousin soon afterwards, "Will sends his love to you." "And what else does he ?" say "I couldn't tell you everything. You shouldn't expect it.' "I don't expect it; but perhaps there may be something to be told." Nothing that I need tell,specially. You, who know him so well, can imagine what he would say." "Dear Will! I am sure he would mean to write what was pleasant." Then the matter would have dropped had Clara been so minded, - but she, in truth, was anxious to be forced to talk about the letter. She wished to be urged by Mary to do that which Will urged her to do;or, at least, to learn whether Mary thought that her brother's wish might be gratified without impropriety. "Don't you think we ought to live here?" she said. By all means, if you both like it." "He is so good, -so unselfish, that he will only ask me to do what I like best." "And which would you like best?" "I think he ought to live here because it is the old family property. I confess that the name goes for something with me. He says that he would build a new house." "Does he think he could have it ready by the time you are married?" -- "Ah;-that is just the difficulty. Perhaps, after all, you had better read his letter. I don't know why I should not show it to you. It will only tell you what you know already, that he is the most generous fellow in all the world." Then Mary read the letter. "What am I to say to him?" Clara asked. "It seems so hard to refuse anything to one who is so true, and good, and generous.” "It is hard." "But you see my poor dear father's death has been so recent." "I hardly know," said Mary "how the world feels about such things." "I think we ought to wait at least twelve months," said Clara," very sadly. "Poor Will! He will be broken-hearted a dozen times before that. But then, when his happiness does come, he will be all the happier." Clara, when she heard this, almost hated her cousin Mary, not for her own sake, but on Will's account. Will trusted so implicitly to his sister, and yet she could not make a better fight for him than this! It almost seemed that Mary was indifferent to her brother's happiness. Had Will been her brother, Clara thought, and had any girl asked her advice under similar circumstances, she was sure that she would have answered in a different way. She would have told such girl that her first duty was owing to the man who was to be her husband, and would not have said a word to her about the feeling of the world. After all, what did the feeling of the world signify to them, who were going to be all the world to each other? On that afternoon she went up to Mrs. Askerton's, and succeeded in getting advice from her also, though she did not show Will's letter to that lady. "Of course, I know what he says," said Mrs. Askerton. "Unless I have mistaken the man, he wants to be married to-morrow." "He is not so bad as that," said Clara. "Then the next day, or the day after. Of course he is impatient, and does not see any earthly reason why his impatience should not be gratified." "He is impatient." "And I suppose you hesitate because of your father's death." "It seems but the other day; not?" said Clara. 66 does it Everything seems but the other day to me. It was but the other day that I myself was married." "And, of course, though I would do any thing I could that he would ask me to do Anything that was not wrong I would. Why should I not, when he is so good to me?" "Then write to him, my dear, and tell him that it shall be as he wishes it. Believe me, the days of Jacob are over. Men don't understand waiting now, and it's always as well to catch your fish when you can." "You don't suppose I have any thought of that kind?" may have anything he chooses to ask for, if he'll only ask hard enough." And they were married in the autumn, if not actually in the summer. With what precise words Clara answered her lover's letter I will not say; but her answer was of such a nature that he found himself compelled to leave Plaistow, even before the wheat was garnered. Great confidence was placed in Bunce on that occasion, and I have reason to believe that it was not misplaced. They were married in September;-yes, in September, although that letter of Will's was written in August, and by the beginning of October they had returned from their wedding trip to Plaistow. Clara insisted that she should be taken to Plaistow, and was very anxious when there to learn all the particulars of the farm. She put down in a little book how many acres there were in each field, and what was the average produce of the land. She made inquiry about four-crop rotation, and endeavoured, with Bunce, to go into the great subject of stall-feeding. But Belton did not give her as much encouragement as he might have done. "We'll come here for the shooting next year," he said; "that is, if there is nothing to prevent us." "I hope there'll be nothing to prevent us." "There might be, perhaps; but we'll always come if there is not. For the rest of it, I'll leave it to Bunce, and just run over once or twice in the year. It would not be a nice place for you to live at long." "I like it of all things. I am quite interested about the farm." "You'd get very sick of it if you were here in the winter. The truth is that if you farm well, you must farm ugly. The picturesque nooks and corners have all to be turned inside out, and the hedgerows must be abolished, because we want the sunshine. Now, down at Belton, just about the house, we won't mind farming well, but will stick to the picturesque." "I am sure you have not; - and I'm The new house was immediately comsure that he deserves no such thought; menced at Belton, and was made to probut the higher that are his deserts, the ceed with all imaginable alacrity. It was greater should be his reward. If I were supposed at one time, - - at least Belton you, I should think of nothing but him, and himself said that he so supposed, that the I should do exactly as he would have me." building would be ready for occupation at Clara kissed her friend as she parted from the end of the first summer; but this was her, and again resolved that all that wo- not found to be possible. "We must put it man's sins should be forgiven her. A wo-off till May, atter all," said Belton, as he man who could give such excellent advice deserved that every sin should be forgiven her. "They'll be married yet before the summer is over," Mrs. Askerton said to her husband that afternoon. "I believe a man was walking round the unfinished building with Colonel Askerton. "It's an awful bore, but there's no getting people really to pull out in this country "I think they've pulled out pretty well. Of course you couldn't have gone into a damp house for the winter." "Other people can get a house built within twelve months. Look what they do in London." "And other people with their wives and children die in consequence of colds and sore throats and other evils of that nature. I wouldn't go into a new house, I know, till I was quite sure it was dry." As Will at this time was hardly ten months married, he was not as yet justified in thinking about his own wife and children; but he had already found it expedient to make arrangements for the autumn, which would prevent that annual visit to Plaistow which Clara had contemplated, and which he had regarded with his characteristic prudence as being subject to possible impediments. He was to be absent himself for the first week in September, but was to return immediately after that. This he did; and be fore the end of that month he was justified in talking of his wife and family. I suppose it wouldn't have done to have been moving now,-under all the circumstances," he said to his friend, Mrs. Askerton, as he still grumbled about the unfinished house. 66 "I don't think it would have done at all, under all the circumstances," said Mrs. Ask erton. or rather how it had been revived, it would be bootless here to say. But old alliances, such as that which had existed between the Aylmer and the Amedroz family, do not allow themselves to die out easily, and it is well for us all that they should be longlived. So Captain Aylmer brought his bride to Belton Park, and a small fatted calf was killed, and the Askertons came to dinner, on which occasion Captain Aylmer behaved very well, though we may imagine that he must have had some misgivings on the score of his young wife. The Askertons came to dinner, and the old rector, and the squire from a neighbouring parish; and everything was very handsome and very dull. Captain Aylmer was much pleased with his visit, and declared to Lady Emily that marriage had greatly improved Mr. William Belton. Now Will had been very dull the whole evening, and very unlike the fiery, violent, unreasonable man whom Captain Aylmer remembered to have met at the station hotel of the Great Northern Railway. "I was as sure of it as possible," Clara said to her husband that night. "Sure of what, my dear? "That she would have a red nose." "Who has got a red nose?" "Don't be stupid, Will. Who should have it but Lady Emily?" Upon my word I didn't observe it." "You never observe anything, Will; do you? But don't you think she is very plain ?" 66 Upon my word I don't know. She isn't as handsome as some people." "Don't be a fool, Will. How old do you suppose her to be?" How old? Let me see. Thirty, per haps." "If she's not over forty, I'll consent to change noses with her.” "No ; But in the following spring or early summer they did get into the new house; and a very nice house it was, as will, I think, be believed by those who have known Mr. William Belton. And when they were well settled, at which time little Will Belton was some seven or eight months old,- little Will, for whom great bonfires had been lit, as though his birth in those parts was a matter not to be regarded lightly; for was he not the first Belton of Belton who had been born there for more than a century? - when that time came, visitors appeared at the new Belton Castle, visitors of impor- "I cannot conceive why any man should tance, who were entitled to, and who re- marry such a woman as that. Not but ceived, great consideration. These were what she's a very good woman, I dare say; no less than Captain Aylmer, member for only what can a man get by it? To be sure Perivale, and his newly-married bride, Lady there's the title, if that's worth anything." Emily Aylmer, née Tagmaggert. They But Will Belton was never good for were then just married, and had come much conversation at this hour, and was too down to Belton Castle immediately after fast asleep to make any rejoinder to the their honeymoon trip. How it had come last remark. to pass that such friendship had sprung up, — it." - we won't do that; not if I know THE END. |