The Barbadoes Girl Part 10

"Pardon me, my lady, from differing with you--I have seen a country actress do it much better: indeed I said so at the moment--Belmont knows I did; and my brother observed that----"

At this moment the country-dance was recommenced, and Matilda was hurried away, although her solicitude to hear what Edmund said amounted to misery; but as Charles was addressing Lady Araminta, not her, it was impossible to ask; besides, no small portion of anger at Edmund mingled with her anxiety--he had never yet approached her. She knew indeed that his ideas of feminine decorum were rigid; but still he had no right to resent her conduct, or he might have told her as a friend, as he used to do, wherein she erred. As these thoughts struck upon her mind, he pa.s.sed her in the dance, and made her a profound bow of recognition; she watched to the bottom, and perceived him engaged in earnest conversation with a very lovely young person, whom she remembered as one of those who refused to waltz; again her heart smote her, yet her anger was the most predominant emotion, and she felt as if Edmund Harewood had injured her beyond forgiveness.

The waltzing recommenced, but the very name of it was now hateful to Matilda, and she hastily entreated Lady Araminta to order her carriage.

Charles was near; accustomed to read her thoughts, he advanced to offer his hand to lead her down stairs--"You are not well, Matilda," said he, tenderly--"at least not comfortable--I am sure you are not."

Matilda replied only by a smothered sigh.

"They tell me," continued Charles, "that you are about to marry Sir Theodore Branson?"

"'Tis false," said Matilda, quickly, her bosom evidently palpitating with shame and anger.

"Then how could you think of waltzing with him? I am sure neither Edmund nor myself would have dared (brothers as we once deemed ourselves) to have taken--but--really I beg pardon, Miss Hanson; while I condemn another, I intrude too far myself."

Matilda was just stepping into the carriage; she turned her eyes on Charles--they were full of tears, tears such as he had seen in her repentant eyes in early days; he was affected with them--he felt that the latter part of his speech had hurt her--that she was not the fas.h.i.+onable belle, but still the good girl he must love and admire.--"Then," cried he, eagerly, "you will not marry that sprig of a baronet--eh, Matilda?"

"I will not _indeed_."

"And do you not mean to waltz again?"

"No; I was a fool once, but----"

The carriage drove off, and Charles returned with a light heart to the ball-room; but that of Edmund was very heavy, and the friends shortly left the gay scene, and returned to Mr. Harewood's.

CHAPTER XV.

"I will never go any where again without you, indeed, mother, I am determined," said Matilda, with a sorrowful air, the following morning.

This was the prelude to a confession of error, which in part relieved the mind of Matilda: but she was still uneasy--she felt as if Charles would be her apologist with his family, for an error they were likely to blame in her; but the ardour of his manner made her feel much concerned for _him_--he was dear to her--she felt for him a sister's affection, but felt that she could never be more to him than she was then. Anxious and restless, she earnestly desired to see Ellen, whose gentleness and dispa.s.sionate good sense would soothe the fretfulness and allay the uneasiness she felt; yet she could not bring herself to call on the family--she had not the courage to meet Mr. and Mrs. Harewood, nor the calmness with which she desired to see the brothers. While she was debating what course to pursue, to her infinite relief she heard that Ellen had just called with her father, and that both of them were in the library. Before she had time to welcome them, Ellen, running up stairs, hurried with her into the dressing-room, and closed the door with an air of secrecy which showed her expectation of giving or receiving intelligence of importance, and there was in her countenance an expression which combined both joy and sorrow, and was really indefinable.

Full of her own cares, and anxious to conceal the most interesting part of them, Matilda for some time remained silent, nor did Ellen find the courage requisite for her own communication; so that this much desired visit promised little eventual satisfaction. To account for the situation of Ellen, it is necessary to trace the events of the morning in her father's house.

When the family were a.s.sembled to breakfast, the conversation naturally turned upon the ball of the evening before; and Ellen, with friendly zeal, sought to exculpate her friend Matilda from the errors which Mr. Belmont seemed to think her guilty of, in exhibiting herself in a dance, by no means decorous, with a young man of Sir Theodore's description.--"I do not say," added he, "that it was a positively wrong thing, nor do I much wonder at it; for a fine young woman, and an heiress, may be led a great way, by the flatterers and sycophants who surround her; but I must own I expected better things from the chosen friend of Ellen Harewood, from a girl educated by a pious and sensible mother, and one said to possess a sound understanding."

Edmund was silent, but his varying complexion bespoke the strong interest he felt in the subject; Charles, on the contrary, warmly entered into it, declaring that a few words which pa.s.sed between Matilda and him clearly proved that she had been misled by her party; that her sense of propriety was as strong as ever; and, in short, that she was a dear, amiable, good girl, whom he would defend as long as he lived.

The warmth of Charles's a.s.sertion called a smile from every one. During the time he spoke, his father had been called out; the servant now entered, desiring _his_ presence also; and it appeared that their early visitant was a man of great importance, and the cause of his calling at this time, by awakening curiosity, suspended conversation. In a few minutes he departed, and Mr. Harewood returned to the breakfast-room, saying as he entered--"I am going to announce a piece of excellent news, although it is accompanied by a loss we must submit to; our dear Charles is appointed to be secretary to the emba.s.sy to ----, now preparing to embark."

Mrs. Harewood burst into tears; but as soon as she could speak, she expressed her joy, while Ellen, in a broken voice, exclaimed--"Oh, what will Matilda say, poor girl?"

Edmund rushed out of the room, as if to seek his brother, but Mr. Belmont well knew it was to conceal his emotion; no other person seemed to notice Ellen's unfortunate e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n, and when the door was closed, Mr. Belmont congratulated the parents upon a circ.u.mstance so honourable and desirable to their younger son; and as they well knew the sincerity of his character, and the affection he felt for Charles, they freely confided to him their feelings at the event; while Ellen innocently declared that she was very glad he happened to be with them at the time, as he would be a subst.i.tute for dear Charles.

"Ah!" said Mr. Belmont, "if you, Ellen, could persuade your parents, and, what is in this case of more importance, your _own_ heart, to consider me not only now, but ever, a member of your family, I should be happy indeed."

Ellen, rather surprised at this speech than its import, for she had long half hoped, half feared, to think on this interesting but awful subject, turned to her mother, and hid her blus.h.i.+ng cheek upon her shoulder, while the parents exchanged looks of satisfaction with each other, and esteem towards the speaker.

"Mine, Ellen," continued Mr. Belmont, "is neither a sudden nor violent pa.s.sion; I approach you by no flattery--I dazzle you by no exhibition; but as I trust both my fortune and character will bear the scrutiny of your friends, your only task, my sweet girl, is to examine your own heart, and inquire there how far I am agreeable to your wishes. I have been a silent admirer of your virtues, and I can be a patient attendant for your decision."

Ellen gave one glance towards her mother--it answered all her wishes; she turned, deeply blus.h.i.+ng, to Mr. Belmont, and timidly, yet with an air of perfect confidence, tendered him her hand; she would have spoken, but the variety of emotion so suddenly called forth by the departure of her brother, and the declaration of her lover, overpowered her, and he received thus a silent, but a full consent to his wishes.

In the mean time, Edmund had conquered the more immediate pang that laboured at his heart, and, entering the library, had grasped the hand of Charles, and uttered a few words of congratulation, but it was in a voice so broken, that there was more of sorrow than joy in it.

Charles had not the slightest doubt of his brother's affection, he did not therefore doubt for a moment the sincerity of his a.s.sertion, but he was persuaded that the idea of his own situation, as being two years older, and yet likely to remain dependent on his father for some years, was a sensible mortification to him; and, feeling for his situation, he said--"Ay, my dear fellow, there is a difference between us _now_, sure enough; but there is no doubt of your doing well by and by; besides, you are the eldest, and deserve to be so; I am sure father can never do too much for such a son as you are, Edmund."

Edmund gazed in astonishment to hear Charles express himself with so much ease, at a time when he expected his heart must be overpowered with trouble; his fears lately excited by the agitation and warmth with which Charles had vindicated Matilda, and the unguarded exclamation of Ellen, who evidently thought her younger brother the favourite, now took another turn; he surveyed Charles; he was just twenty-three--a tall, handsome young man, and one who had ever been admired by the ladies. "Perhaps," said he, "internally, poor Matilda loves him, but without having her affection returned: this accounts for the many great offers she has refused, for the sympathy of Ellen, who knows her heart, and for the vindication she undoubtedly made to him last night; whereas to _me_ she was cold and unintelligible."

While these painful thoughts rankled in the mind of the young barrister, his happy brother was flying all over the house, receiving from the servants the mixed congratulation of joy in his success and sorrow for his departure; he had also joined the _coterie_ in the parlour, wrung the hand of his future brother-in-law, kissed his mother and Ellen, and thanked his father twenty times for all his generous cares, before Edmund could muster philosophy enough to join the family, and listen to its arrangements for the day.

It was at length agreed that Edmund should a.s.sist his mother in making up a package of books, &c., for the traveller, who, accompanied by Belmont, should visit the city for necessary arrangements; and Mr. Harewood, who knew that Ellen would naturally wish to see Matilda, agreed to accompany her thither, being at once desirous to communicate this various intelligence to Mrs. Hanson, and to witness the effect Charles's departure would have upon Matilda, whom, at the bottom of his heart, he certainly desired to have for a daughter, although he would have rejoiced in her alliance with any worthy man.

We return now to the young ladies in the dressing-room, each eager to hear and to speak, yet each oppressed, though very differently, with solicitude.

At length, Ellen, her breast labouring with sighs, and fear lest she should wound the heart of her friend, thus spoke: "We are going to lose Charles: he has got an appointment, Matilda."

"And is he pleased with it, Ellen?"

"Oh, yes! he seems quite happy: he is running all over the house, just in his old way, and the servants are all laughing and crying about him, as if he were still a school-boy."

"I am heartily glad of it--he has my sincerest good wishes, and I feel certain of his success."

Ellen looked in the face of Matilda, to see if she did _indeed_ rejoice; she perceived a tear twinkle in the corner of her young friend's eye, but it was not the tear of sorrow. Ellen could now read the heart on subjects of this kind; she felt that she had been completely mistaken in Matilda's supposed predilection, and she was almost sorry to see her so happy.

"There is a--a--another affair going on at our house," said Ellen, after a pause.

Matilda felt her heart beat with unusual violence; she could not speak, but her very soul peeped out of her eyes to say--"What is it?"

"It is not a parting; it--it--is a joining."

"Oh," said Matilda, calling all her fort.i.tude to her aid, "you are going to have a wedding, eh?"

"I believe it will come to that, indeed, some time."

Matilda turned as pale as death; but her colour rushed suddenly back to her cheeks, as at this moment the door opened, and Mr. Harewood and Mrs. Hanson broke on their _tete-a-tete_. The former felt a.s.sured that poor Matilda had heard the destination of Charles, and was suffering under it; but as he could hardly believe Mrs. Hanson would consent to her marriage with his youngest son, and as he thought Charles himself had no thoughts of marriage at this time, he could not allow himself to rejoice in her predilection. To relieve her, he said--"Well, my dear, you heard how we are situated, some of us parting for a time, some uniting for ever; I am sure you rejoice in all that is good, in either of these cases."

Matilda, overpowered, burst into sudden tears.

"My daughter is very nervous this morning," said Mrs. Hanson; "she cannot help being affected with such material changes in the state of those she loves so well; you are aware her tears are those of joy, Mr. Harewood."

Matilda struggled to recover her composure, and, turning to Mr. Harewood, she put both her hands into his, and said, with a low but earnest voice--"My dear, _dear_ sir, I do most truly rejoice in the prospect of any good that can befall your family; I saw the--the young lady--the bride-elect--she is very pretty--I hope she will be as good as she is handsome; and I----"

Matilda suddenly stopped, unable to articulate the rest of her good wishes, and Mr. Harewood eagerly said--"As to _that_ we will say nothing; I trust Ellen will make a good wife; I am sure she has had a good example."

"_Ellen!_" screamed Matilda; "is it you, Ellen? _you_ that are going to be married--you?"

"Dear me, how astonished you look! I suppose I shall be married some time.