“Yes; I remember.”
“Well, would he have a chance? It seems that you see more of her now than anyone else.”
“No chance at all, I should say.” And Harry, as he answered, could not repress a feeling of most unreasonable jealousy.
“Ah, you have always thought little of Archie. Archie’s position is changed now, Harry, since my darling was taken from me. Of course he will marry, and Hugh, I think, would like him to marry Julia. It was he proposed it. He never likes anything unless he has proposed it himself.”
“It was he proposed the marriage with Lord Ongar. Does he like that?”
“Well; you know, Julia has got her money.” Harry, as he heard this, turned away, sick at heart. The poor baby whose mother was now speaking to him had only been buried that morning, and she was already making fresh schemes for family wealth. Julia has got her money! That had seemed to her, even in her sorrow, to be sufficient compensation for all that her sister had endured and was enduring. Poor soul! Harry did not reflect as he should have done, that in all her schemes she was only scheming for that peace which might perhaps come to her if her husband were satisfied. “And why should not Julia take him?” she asked.
“I cannot tell why, but she never will,” said Harry, almost in anger. At that moment the door was opened, and Sir Hugh came into the room. “I did not know that you were here,” Sir Hugh said, turning to the visitor.
“I could not be down here without saying a few words to Lady Clavering.”
“The less said the better, I suppose, just at present,” said Sir Hugh. But there was no offence in the tone of his voice, or in his countenance, and Harry took the words as meaning none.
“I was telling Lady Clavering that as soon as she can, she would be better if she left home for awhile.”
“And why should you tell Lady Clavering that?”
“I have told him that I would not go,” said the poor woman.
“Why should she go, and where; and why have you proposed it? And how does it come to pass that her going or not going should be a matter of solicitude to you?” Now, as Sir Hugh asked these questions of his cousin, there was much of offence in his tone—of intended offence—and in his eye, and in all his bearing. He had turned his back upon his wife, and was looking full into Harry’s face. “Lady Clavering, no doubt, is much obliged to you,” he said, “but why is it that you specially have interfered to recommend her to leave her home at such a time as this?”
Harry had not spoken as he did to Sir Hugh without having made some calculation in his own mind as to the result of what he was about to say. He did not, as regarded himself, care for his cousin or his cousin’s anger. His object at present was simply that of carrying out Lady Ongar’s wish, and he had thought that perhaps Sir Hugh might not object to the proposal which his wife was too timid to make to him.
“It was a message from her sister,” said Harry, “sent by me.”
“Upon my word she is very kind. And what was the message—unless it be a secret between you three?”
“I have had no secret, Hugh,” said his wife.
“Let me hear what he has to say,” said Sir Hugh.
“Lady Ongar thought that it might be well that her sister should leave Clavering for a short time, and has offered to go anywhere with her for a few weeks. That is all.”
“And why the devil should Hermione leave her own house? And if she were to leave it, why should she go with a woman that has misconducted herself?”
“Oh, Hugh!” exclaimed Lady Clavering.
“Lady Ongar has never misconducted herself,” said Harry.
“Are you her champion?” asked Sir Hugh.
“As far as that, I am. She has never misconducted herself; and what is more, she has been cruelly used since she came home.”
“By whom; by whom?” said Sir Hugh, stepping close up to his cousin and looking with angry eyes into his face.
But Harry Clavering was not a man to be intimidated by the angry eyes of any man. “By you,” he said, “her brother-in-law;—by you, who made up her wretched marriage, and who, of all others, were the most bound to protect her.”
“Oh, Harry, don’t, don’t!” shrieked Lady Clavering.
“Hermione, hold your tongue,” said the imperious husband; “or, rather, go away and leave us. I have a word or two to say to Harry Clavering, which had better be said in private.”
“I will not go if you are going to quarrel.”
“Harry,” said Sir Hugh, “I will trouble you to go downstairs before me. If you will step into the breakfast-room I will come to you.”
Harry Clavering did as he was bid, and in a few minutes was joined by his cousin in the breakfast-room.
“No doubt you intended to insult me by what you said upstairs.” The baronet began in this way after he had carefully shut the door, and had slowly walked up to the rug before the fire, and had there taken his position.
“Not at all; I intended to take the part of an ill-used woman whom you had calumniated.”
“Now look here, Harry, I will have no interference on your part in my affairs, either here or elsewhere. You are a very fine fellow, no doubt, but it is not part of your business to set me or my house in order. After what you have just said before Lady Clavering you will do well not to come here in my absence.”
“Neither in your absence nor in your presence.”
“As to the latter you may do as you please. And now touching my sister-in-law, I will simply recommend you to look after your own affairs.”
“I shall look after what affairs I please.”
“Of Lady Ongar and her life
