Anthony Trollope: The Belton Estate

31. CHAPTER XXXI: TAKING POSSESSION (continued)

'I don't like Captain Aylmer at all,' said Will, after a pause.

'So I saw, Will; and I dare say he was not very fond of you.' 'Fond of me! I didn't want him to be fond of me. I don't suppose he ever thought much about me. I could not help thinking of him.' She had nothing to say to this, and therefore walked on silently by his side. 'I suppose he has not any idea of coming back here again?'

'What; to Belton? No, I do not think he will come to Belton any more.'

'Nor will you go to Aylmer Park?'

'No; certainly not. Of all the places on earth. Will, to which you could send me, Aylmer Park is the one to which I should go most unwillingly.'

'I don't want to send you there.'

'You never could be made to understand what a woman she is; how disagreeable, how cruel, how imperious, how insolent.'

'Was she so bad as all that?'

'Indeed she was, Will. I can't but tell the truth to you.

'And he was nearly as bad as she.'

'No, Will; no; do not say that of him.'

'He was such a quarrelsome fellow. He flew at me just because I said we had good hunting down in Norfolk.'

'We need not talk about all that, Will.'

'No of course not. It's all passed and gone, I suppose.'

'Yes it is all passed and gone. You did not know my Aunt Winterfield, or you would understand my first reason for liking him.'