Though Captain Aylmer had declared Mr.Possitt to be a very worthy man, Clara surmised that he would not be anxious to commence that practice of a Sabbatical dinner so soon after his aunt's decease.

The day, after all, would be but one day, and Clara schooled herself into a resolution to bear it with good humour.
Captain Aylmer had made a positive promise to his aunt on her deathbed that he would ask Clara Amedroz to be his wife, and he had no more idea of breaking his word than he had of resigning the whole property which had been left to him.

Whether Clara would accept him he had much doubt.

He was a man by no means brilliant, not naturally self-confident, nor was he, perhaps, to be credited with the possession of high principles of the finest sort; but he was clever, in the ordinary sense of the word, knowing his own interest, knowing, too, that that interest depended on other things besides money; and he was a just man, according to the ordinary rules of justice in the world.

Not for the first time, when he was sitting by the bedside of his dying aunt, had he thought of asking Clara to marry him.