"You need not express it. I don't come pitying you for supposed troubles. You have plenty of money; but if you were so poor that you could eat nothing but cold mutton, I shouldn't condole with you as to the state of your larder. I should pretend to think that poultry and piecrust were plentiful with you."
"No, you wouldn't, dear;—not if I were as dear to you as you are to me."
"Well, then, be sorry; and let there be an end of it. Remember how much of all this I must of necessity have to go through with poor papa."
"Ah, yes; I can believe that."
"And he is so far from well. Of course you have not seen him since I have been gone."
"No; we never see him unless he comes up to the gate there." Then there was another pause for a moment. "And what about Captain Aylmer?" asked Mrs. Askerton.
"Well;—what about him?"
"He is the heir now?"
"Yes;—he is the heir."
"And that is all?"