"But chiefly"--and now as she spoke she drew herself up, and dismissed
the smile from her face, and allowed her eyes to fall upon the
ground--"but chiefly because I thought that Lord Ongar would prefer that
I should not roam alone about Clavering Park with any young gentleman
while I am down here; and that he might specially object to my roaming
with you, were he to know that you and I were--old acquaintances. Now I
have been very frank, Mr. Clavering, and I think that that ought to be
enough."

"You are afraid of him already, then?"

"I am afraid of offending any one whom I love, and especially any one to
whom I owe any duty."

"Enough! Indeed it is not. From what you know of me, do you think it
likely that that will be enough?" He was now standing in front of her,
between her and the gate, and she made no effort to leave him.

"And what is it you want? I suppose you do not mean to fight Lord Ongar,
and that if you did you would not come to me."

"Fight him! No; I have no quarrel with him. Fighting him would do no
good."

"None in the least; and he would not fight if you were to ask him; and
you could not ask without being false to me."

"I should have had an example for that, at any rate."

"That's nonsense, Mr. Clavering. My falsehood, if you should choose to