ve-making should be a virtue in her eyes I cannot, perhaps, explain. But all young ladies are apt to talk to themselves in such phrases about gentlemen with whom they a

ceived that he was a man fit to guide a wife, very good - humoured and good-tempered also, anxious to give pleasure to others, a man of energy and forethought, who would be sure to do well in the world and hold his head always high among his fellows as good a husband as a girl could have. Nevertheless, she congr

walked about, and he leaned out of the window into the cool night air; and he made some comparisons in his mind, and certain calculations; and he thought of his present home, and of his sister, and of his future prospects as they were concerned with the old place at which he was now staying; and he portrayed to himself, in his mind, Clara's head and face

of her face; but she had the same large expressive mouth, and the same perfection of ivory-white teeth. As has been said before, Clara Amedroz, who was now nearly twenty-six years of age, was not a young-looking woman. To the eyes of many men that would have been her fault; but in the eyes of Belton it was no fault. He had not made himself fastidious as to women by much consort with them, and he was disposed to think that she who was to become his wife had better be something more than a girl not long since taken out of the nursery. He was well-to-do in the world, and could send his wife out in her carriage, with all becoming bravery of appurtenances. And he would do so, too, when he should have a wife. But still he would look to his wife to be a useful partner to him. She should be a woman not above agricultural solicitude, or too proud to have a care for her cows. Clara, he was sure, had no

eturn and complete the work before Christmas. But as he was shaving himself, the habitual impatience of his nature predominated, and he became disposed to think that delay would be useless, and might perhaps be dangerous. It might be possible that Clara would be unable to give him a decisive answer so quickly as to enable him to return home an accepted lover; but if such doubt were left, such doubt would give him an excuse for a speedy return to Belton. He did not omit to tell himself that very probably he might not succeed at all. He was a man not at all apt to feel assurance that he could carry all before him in love. But in this matter, as in all oth

Not that he intended that the father should win the daughter for him. He had an idea that he would like to do that work for himself. But he thought that the old squire would be better pleased if his consent were asked

ought towards him, that the future stocking of the land was spoken of between them with something like energy on both sides; and Mr Amedroz had given his consent, without any difficulty, to the building of a shed for winter stall-feeding. Clara sat by listening, and perceived that Will Belton

apparent even to him. What a cousin he was! Clara thought what a paragon among cousins! And then he was so manifestly safe against love-making! So safe, that he only cared to talk about timber, and oxe

you are,' she said

atter

l his animosity already. I shall be jealous

half tender. Now that he had made up his mind, he could not keep his hand from the work before him an instant. But Clara

d, laughing, 'that is v

ned to be friends wi

et your promise. Indeed, indeed, I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have come both for papa's s

g of running across here from Norfolk. Yo

e shed; but not a word was said about the shed on that occasion. He went to work at his other task at once, and when that was well on hand

cular that I want to say

g something very particular ever since his arrival, and was

thing wrong

not wrong. Would not it be a good plan,

that he was quite unable to speak a word of answer at the moment. Indeed, he was unable to move

rry a London man than a fellow who passes all his time in the country. But she couldn't get one who would love her better or treat her more kindly. And then as to the property; you must own it would be a good arrangement. You'd like to know it would go to your own child and your own grand

t even a father should be addressed on such a subject with great delicacy. There should be ambages in such a matter. The man who resolved to commit himself to such a task should come forward with apparent difficulty with great diffidence, and even with actual difficulty. He should keep himself almost hidden, as behind a mask, and should tell of his own ambition with doubtful, quivering voi

y much,' said the old man

very girl to make a good wife to such a one as I am. She's g

good girl,

d as gold, eve

t known her very

all about her beforehand who she is, and where she

m some one knew who she was and whence she came. Such knowledge respecting the daughter of such a family was, as a matter

. Now the question is, whether

o much by surprise that I do not feel m

r Amedroz, if he could have been left to his own guidanc

ish me to see Clara fi

r ask her myself if only I could

ve said not

a w

behaved badly, I think, had you d

lose. So if you could think about it this afternoon, you know Mr Amedroz, much bewildered, promised that he would do his best, and

ton, feeling rather ashamed of his own remissness

quite sure

oving her? I am as sur

apt to change

urpose when I'm in earnest. In such a matter as this I couldn't ch

dvantageous to my child. I don't know whether you know it

oncerned. I'm not one who wants to be

e to get somethin

in the way of money. If Clara becomes my

the old man said in a wailing voice, as though t

ewhere.' There were old causes of dislike between Mr Belton and Mrs Winterfield, and eve

uite uncertain,' c

leave to speak

pe that she should learn to regard you at once as you would have her do.' As he heard this, Belton's face became long and melancholy. He had taught himself to think that he could dispense with that delay ti

certainly,'

rate, some preliminary steps in love-making before he returned to Plaistow. What would be the nature of