"Am I? Well;—I feel savage, but not to you."
"Nor to any one, I hope, belonging to me." She knew that it was all coming; that the whole subject of her future life must now be discussed; and she began to fear that the discussion might not be easy. But she did not know how to give it a direction. She feared that he would become angry, and yet she knew not why. He had accepted his own rejection tranquilly, and could hardly take it as an offence that she should now be engaged to Captain Aylmer.
"Mr. Green has told me," said he, "that you are going to be married."
"How could Mr. Green have known?"
"He did know;—at least I suppose he knew, for he told me."
"How very odd."
"I suppose it is true?" Clara did not make any immediate answer, and then he repeated the question. "I suppose it is true?"
"It is true that I am engaged."
"To Captain Aylmer?"
"Yes; to Captain Aylmer. You know that I had known him very long. I hope that you are not angry with me because I did not write and tell you. Strange as it may seem, seeing that you had heard it already, it is not a week yet since it was settled; and had I written to you, I could only have addressed my letter to you here."