Anthony Trollope: The Belton Estate

22. CHAPTER XXII: PASSIONATE PLEADING (continued)

On the afternoon of the day on which her father had been buried, she brought to him a letter, asking him to read it, and tell her what she should do. The letter was from Lady Aylmer, and contained an invitation to Aylmer Castle. It had been accompanied, as the reader may possibly remember, by a letter from Captain Aylmer himself. Of this she of course informed her cousin; but she did not find it to be necessary to show the letter of one rival to the other. Lady Aylmer's letter was cold in its expression of welcome, but very dictatorial in pointing out the absolute necessity that Clara should accept the invitation so given. 'I think you will not fail to agree with me, dear Miss Amedroz,' the letter said, 'that under these strange and perplexing circumstances, this is the only roof which can, with any propriety, afford you a shelter.' 'And why not the poor-house?' she said, aloud to her cousin, when she perceived that his eye had descended so far on the page. He shook his head angrily, but said nothing; and when he had finished the letter he folded it and gave it back still in silence. 'And what am I to do?' she said. 'You tell me that I am to come to you for advice in everything.'

'You must decide for yourself here.'

'And you won't advise me.. You won't tell me whether she is right?

'I suppose she is right.'

'Then I had better go?'

'If you mean to marry Captain Aylmer, you had better go.'

'I am engaged to him.'

'Then you had better go.'

'But I will not submit myself to her tyranny.'

'Let the marriage take place at once, and you will have to submit only to his. I suppose you are prepared for that?'

'I do not know. I do not like tyranny.'