Part 26 (1/2)

When he had been home about a fortnight, there came a letter to him from Clara, which was a great treasure to him. In truth, it simply told him of the completion of the cattle-shed, of her father's health, and of the milk which the little cow gave; but she signed herself his affectionate cousin, and the letter was very gratifying to him. There were two lines of a postscript, which could not but flatter him:--”Papa is so anxious for Christmas, that you may be here again;--and so, indeed, am I also.” Of course it will be understood that this was written before Clara's visit to Perivale, and before Mrs. Winterfield's death. Indeed, much happened in Clara's history between the writing of that letter and Will Belton's winter visit to the Castle.

But Christmas came at last, all too slowly for Will;--and he started on his journey. On this occasion he arranged to stay a week in London, having a lawyer there whom he desired to see; and thinking, perhaps, that a short time spent among the theatres might a.s.sist him in his love troubles.

CHAPTER XIV.

MR. WILLIAM BELTON TAKES A WALK IN LONDON.

At the time of my story there was a certain Mr. Green, a worthy attorney, who held chambers in Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn, much to the profit of himself and family,--and to the profit and comfort also of a numerous body of clients,--a man much respected in the neighbourhood of Chancery Lane, and beloved, I do not doubt, in the neighbourhood of Bushey, in which delightfully rural parish he was possessed of a genteel villa and ornamental garden. With Mr. Green's private residence we shall, I believe, have no further concern; but to him at his chambers in Stone Buildings I must now introduce the reader of these memoirs. He was a man not yet forty years of age, with still much of the salt of youth about him, a pleasant companion as well as a good lawyer, and one who knew men and things in London, as it is given to pleasant clever fellows, such as Joseph Green, to know them. Now Mr. Green, and his father before him, had been the legal advisers of the Amedroz family, and our Mr. Joseph Green had had but a bad time of it with Charles Amedroz in the last years of that unfortunate young man's life. But lawyers endure these troubles, submitting themselves to the extravagances, embarra.s.sments, and even villany of the bad subjects among their clients' families, with a good-humoured patience that is truly wonderful. That, however, was all over now as regarded Mr. Green and the Amedrozes, and he had nothing further to do but to save for the father what relics of the property he might secure. And he was also legal adviser to our friend Will Belton, there having been some old family connection among them, and had often endeavoured to impress upon his old client at Belton Castle his own strong conviction that the heir was a generous fellow, who might be trusted in everything. But this had been taken amiss by the old squire, who, indeed, was too much disposed to take all things amiss and to suspect everybody. ”I understand,” he had said to his daughter. ”I know all about it. Belton and Mr. Green have been dear friends always. I can't trust my own lawyer any longer.” In all which the old squire showed much ingrat.i.tude. It will, however, be understood that these suspicions were rife before the time of Belton's visit to the family estate.

Some four or five days before Christmas there came a visitor to Mr.

Green with whom the reader is acquainted, and who was no less a man than the Member for Perivale. Captain Aylmer, when Clara parted from him on the morning of her return to Belton Castle, had resolved that he would repeat his offer of marriage by letter. A month had pa.s.sed by since then, and he had not as yet repeated it. But his intention was not altered. He was a deliberate man, who did not do such things quite as quickly as his rival, and who upon this occasion had thought it prudent to turn over more than once in his mind all that he proposed to do. Nor had he as yet taken any definite steps as to that fifteen hundred pounds which he had promised to Clara in her aunt's name, and which Clara had been, and was, so unwilling to receive. He had now actually paid it over, having purchased government stock in Clara's name for the amount, and had called upon Mr. Green, in order that that gentleman, as Clara's lawyer, might make the necessary communication to her.

”I suppose there's nothing further to be done?” asked Captain Aylmer.

”Nothing further by me,” said the lawyer. ”Of course I shall write to her, and explain that she must make arrangements as to the interest.

I am very glad that her aunt thought of her in her last moments.”

”Mrs. Winterfield would have provided for her before, had she known that everything had been swallowed up by that unfortunate young man.”

”All's well that ends well. Fifteen hundred pounds are better than nothing.”

”Is it not enough?” said the Captain, blus.h.i.+ng.

”It isn't for me to have an opinion about that, Captain Aylmer.

It depends on the nature of the claim; and that again depends on the relative position of the aunt and niece when they were alive together.”

”You are aware that Miss Amedroz was not Mrs. Winterfield's niece?”

”Do not think for a moment that I am criticising the amount of the legacy. I am very glad of it, as, without it, there was literally no provision,--no provision at all.”

”You will write to herself?”

”Oh yes, certainly to herself. She is a better man of business than her father;--and then this is her own, to do as she likes with it.”

”She can't refuse it, I suppose?”

”Refuse it!”

”Even though she did not wish to take it, it would be legally her property, just as though it had been really left by the will?”

”Well; I don't know. I dare say you could have resisted the payment.

But that has been made now, and there seems to be an end of it.”

At this moment a clerk entered the room and handed a card to his employer. ”Here's the heir himself,” said Mr. Green.

”What heir?”