She had replied that such a thing was impossible,--as any girl would have replied; and had in consequence treated Captain Aylmer with all the coolness which she had been able to assume whenever she was in company with him in her aunt's presence.

Nor was it natural to her to be specially gracious to a man under such trying circumstances, even when no Mrs.Winterfield was there to behold.

And so things had gone on.

Captain Aylmer had now and again made himself very pleasant to her,--at certain trying periods of joy or trouble almost more than pleasant.

But nothing had come of it, and Clara had told herself that Captain Aylmer had no special feeling in her favour.