Anthony Trollope: The Belton Estate

5. CHAPTER V: NOT SAFE AGAINST LOVE-MAKING (continued)

'There must have been some casual likeness I suppose.' Mrs Askerton was a clever woman, and had by this time almost recovered her self-possession. Then there came a ring at the front door, and in another minute Mr Belton was in the room. Mrs Askerton felt that it was imperative on her to make some allusion to the conversation which had just taken place, and dashed at the subject at once. 'Clara tells me that I am exactly like some old friend of yours, Mr Belton.'

Then he looked at her closely as he answered her. 'I have no right to say that she was my friend, Mrs Askerton,' he said; 'indeed there was hardly what might be called an acquaintance between us; but you certainly are extremely like a certain Miss Vigo that I remember.'

'I often wonder that one person isn't more often found to be like another,' said Mrs Askerton.

'People often are like,' said he, 'but not like in such a way as to give rise to mistakes as to identity. Now, I should have stopped you in the street and called you Mrs Berdmore.'

'Didn't I once see or hear the name of Berdmore in this house?' asked Clara.

Then that look of pain returned. Mrs Askerton had succeeded in recovering the usual tone of her countenance, but now she was once more disturbed. 'I think I know the name,' said she.

'I fancy that I have seen it in this house,' said Clara. 'You may more likely have heard it, my dear. My memory is very poor, but if I remember rightly, Colonel Askerton did know a Captain Berdmore a long while ago, before he was married; and you may probably have heard him mention the name.' This did not quite satisfy Clara, but she said nothing more about it then. If there was a mystery which Mrs Askerton did not wish to have explored, why should she explore it?

Soon after this Clara got up to go, and Mrs Askerton, making another attempt to be cheerful, was almost successful. So you're going back into Norfolk on Saturday, Clara tells me. You are making a very short visit now that you're come among us.'