"I thought it best, at any rate, to come to you first. But as I must be back at Plaistow on this day week, I haven't much time to lose. So if you could think about it this afternoon, you know--" Mr. Amedroz, much bewildered, promised that he would do his best, and eventually did bring himself to give an answer on the next morning. "I have been thinking about this all night," said Mr. Amedroz. "I'm sure I'm very much obliged to you," said Belton, feeling rather ashamed of his own remissness as he remembered how soundly he had himself slept. "If you are quite sure of yourself--" "Do you mean sure of loving her? I am as sure of that as anything." "But men are so apt to change their fancies." "I don't know much about my fancies; but I don't often change my purpose when I'm in earnest. In such a matter as this I couldn't change. I'll say as much as that for myself, though it may seem bold." "Of course, in regard to money such a marriage would be advantageous to my child. I don't know whether you know it, but I shall have nothing to give her--literally nothing." "All the better, sir, as far as I am concerned. I'm not one who wants to be saved from working by a wife's fortune." "But most men like to get something when they marry." "I want to get nothing;--nothing, that is, in the way of money. If Clara becomes my wife I'll never ask you for one shilling." "I hope her aunt will do something for her." This the old man said in a wailing voice, as though the expression of such a hope was grievous to him. "If she becomes my wife, Mrs. Winterfield will be quite at liberty to leave her money elsewhere." There were old causes of dislike between Mr. Belton and Mrs. Winterfield, and even now Mrs. Winterfield was almost offended because Mr. Belton was staying at Belton Castle. "But all that is quite uncertain," continued Mr. Amedroz. "And I have your leave to speak to Clara myself?" "Well, Mr. Belton; yes; I think so. I do not see why you should not speak to her. But I fear you are a little too precipitate. Clara has known you so very short a time, that you can hardly have a right to hope that she should learn to regard you at once as you would have her do." As he heard this, Belton's face became long and melancholy. He had taught himself to think that he could dispense with that delay till Christmas which he had at first proposed to himself, and that he might walk into the arena at once, and perhaps win the battle in the first round. "Three days is such a very short time," said the squire. "It is short certainly," said Belton. The father's leave was however given, and armed with that, Belton was resolved that he would take, at any rate, some preliminary steps in love-making before he returned to Plaistow. What would be the nature of the preliminary steps taken by such a one as him, the reader by this time will probably be able to surmise. CHAPTER V. NOT SAFE AGAINST LOVE-MAKING.