Anthony Trollope: The Belton Estate

8. CHAPTER VIII: CAPTAIN AYLMER MEETS HIS CONSTITUENTS (continued)

He took her hand and kept it. 'Say that we are friends.'

'Why should we not be friends?'

'There is no reason on my part why we should not be the dearest friends,' he said. 'Were it not that I am so utterly without encouragement, I should say the very dearest.' He still held her hand, and was looking into her face as he spoke. For a moment she stood there, bearing his gaze, as though she expected some further words to be spoken. Then she withdrew her hand, and again saying, in a clear voice, 'Good-night, Captain Aylmer,' she left the room.