The Belton Estate

mourning coaches, as family friends came over from Taunton, one or two of whom were to be present at the reading of the will. How melancholy was the occasion, and how well the work was done;

ll there was none, except that one substantial clause which bequeathed to her well-beloved nephew, Frederic Folliott Aylmer, everything of which the testatrix died possessed. The will had been made at some moment in which Clara's spirit of independence had offended her aunt, and her name was not mentioned. That nothing should have been left to Clara was the one thing that surprised the relatives from Taunton who were present. The relatives from Taunton, to give them their due, expe

z; but death had come upon her too quickly to enable her to perform her purpose. Of this intention on the part of Mrs. Winterfield, Mr. Palmer was as well aware as himself; and he mentioned the subject now, merely with the object of saying that, as a matter of course, the legacy to Miss Amedroz was as good as though the codicil had been comple

the first to tell Clara of the will. Clara, of course, was altogether indifferent. She had known for months past that her aunt had intended to leave nothing to her, and her only hope had been that she might be left free from any commiseration or remark on the subject. But Mrs. Folliott, with sundry shakings of the head, told her how her aunt had omitted to name her-an

stood each other per

d was quite right, seeing that she was a saint; but we sinners would have thought it very wicked to h

of trusting to any one's g

a shilling, you know,

be asked to pay

ll go back after what

never expected any of my aunt's property, and knew all along that it was to go to Captain Aylmer,-who, indeed

rstood that she was

retreated, having, as she thought, performed her duty to Clara, and contented hersel

bequeath to her. When she became impatient and objected to listen to him, he argued with her, pointing out to her that this was a matter of business to which it was now absolutely necessary that she should attend. "It may be the case," he said, "and, indeed, I hope it will, that no essential d

ave me fr

ay over to you the sum of fifteen hundred

l that if I were to take it, I should be accepting

Cla

o claim to anything that is not put into the will; and I won't have what I could not claim. My mind is quite mad

"I can only ask you to consult any friend whom you can trust upon the matter. Ask your father, or Mr. Belton, and I have no d

t, and I certainly shall not do that." Upon hearing this he smiled, assuming, as Clara fancied that he was sometimes

made no objection. She now heartily wished that she had named the day after the funeral, and that she had not been deterred by her dislike of making a Sunday journey. She dreaded this day, and would have been very thankful if he would have left her and gone back to London. But he intended, he said, to remain at Perivale throughout the next week, and she must endure the day as best she might be able. She wished that it were possib

n other things besides money; and he was a just man, according to the ordinary rules of justice in the world. Not for the first time, when he was sitting by the bedside of his dying aunt, had he thought of asking Clara to marry him. Though he had never hitherto resolved that he would do so-though he had never till then brought himself absolutely to determine that he would take so important a step-he had pondered over it often, and was aware that he was very fond of Clara. He was, in truth, as much in love with her as it was in his nature to be in love. He was not

a sum of money to Clara, she had spoken plainly of her desire;-but she had not on that occasion asked him for any promise. But afterwards, when she knew that she was dying, she had questioned him as to his own feelings, and he, in his anxiety to gratify her in her last wishes, had given her the promise which she was so anxious to hear. He made no difficulty in doing so. It was his own wish as well as hers. In a money point of view he might no doubt now do better; but then money was not everything. He was very fond of Clara, and felt that if she would accept him he would be proud of his wife. She was well born and well educated, and i

ceived warmer encouragement. He had felt himself to be repulsed in the little efforts which he had already made to please the lady, and had no idea whatever as to the true state of her feelings. Had he known what she knew, he would, I think, have been animated enough, and gone to hi

the back of the town, and which was held by an old widow who had been senior in life to her late landlady; but no such walk had been possible, as it was dark before the last of th

d hardly bring myse

t she and Captain Aylmer should walk together was all very well. They might probably have done so had Mrs. Winterfield been still alive. It was the long evening afterwards that she dreaded-the long winter evening, in which she would

y knew that Captain Aylmer was to be her landlord, but having hitherto seen more of Miss Amedroz than of the Captain, and having always re

you long;-that I shan't, Mi

o lose you," replied Clara, speaking loud, and

ra;-never. No more I didn't. Deary;-deary! And I sup

driven to bawl out her words, and by no means liked the task. The

t? They told me that was the way of

ne," said Captai

t," said Clara, attempting to laugh, but

'll be as good to the poor as she that is gone. Well, well; I didn't ever think tha

that Perivale church looks better from Creevy bridge than any other point." Perivale church stood high in the centre of the town, on an eminence, and was graced with a spire which was declared by the Perivalians to be preferable to that of Salisbury in proportion, though it was acknowledged to be somewhat inferior to it in height. The little river Creevy, which ran through a portion of the suburbs of the town, and which, as th

and spot in the place as I

our own,-or will be some day; an

fishing, I always thought Aunt Winterfield'

large as your father'

ide of a hill so as to show out its proportions with so much ostentation. The coach-house and the stables, and the old brewhouse, seem to com

it's yo

to think the Creevy the best river in England for fish; but I wou

taste for perc

ieved in the store-room at Aylmer Park

t but what it

curiosity even to inquire. Ah, dear,-I

sell it,

in it, or let it. It would b

not decide q

want to do. I want

very unlikely that you should come and live here

f certainly. You heard what M

Mrs. Partr

d to both of us, and whether it was no

consciously she had made some resolve that if ever the question were put to her by him, she would not be taken altogether off her guard; and now that the question was put to her, she was able to maintain her composure. Her first feeling was one of triumph,-as it must be in such a positio

be all one

e me and be my wife?" Again she looked at him, and he repeated his ques

ubtful,-while he had simply played at making love to her, she had given no hint of the state of her affections. She had so carried herself before him as to make him doubt whether success could be possible for him. But now,-why shoul

alue when it is found to be easy of access and easy of possession? Wine is valued by its price, not its flavour. Open your doors freely to Jones and Smith, and Jones and Smith will not care to enter them. Shut your doors obdurately against the same gentlemen, and

ove, prevented that. "Then the question about the house i

t about the house

's un

f you,-of you and of myself.

od repair," said

"What I mean is that anything about a house is indifferent to me now. It is a

o be a man careful of his words,-knowing their value,-not speaking with hurried rashness as would her dear cousin Will. And she doubted whether, after all, such hurried words mean as much as words which are slower and calmer. Af

d but tell you the truth,"

medroz, he had been at once reconciled to the order by a feeling on his own part that the conquest of Clara would not be too facile. She was a wom

ad been buried their dear old friend,-the friend who had brought them together, and been so anxious for their future happiness! And Clara Amedroz was not a young girl, prone to jump out of her shoes with elation because she had got a lover. She could be steadily happy without many immediate words abo

l,-yes; I think

ou are," she said, "I am. And now I will leave you ti

It was the first time he had done so; but his kiss was as cold and proper as though they had bee