A Simple Story Part 22

"Where's your friend? where's Lady Elmwood?"

Miss Woodley smiled, and answered--She was gone with such and such ladies to an auction. "But why give her that t.i.tle already, Mr. Sandford?"

"Because," answered he, "I think she will never have it."

"Bless me, Mr. Sandford," said Miss Woodley, "you shock me!"

"I thought I should," replied he, "and therefore I told it you."

"For Heaven's sake what has happened?"

"Nothing new--her indiscretions only."

"I know she is imprudent," said Miss Woodley--"I can see that her conduct is often exceptionable--but then Lord Elmwood surely loves her, and love will overlook a great deal."

"He _does_ love her--but he has understanding and resolution. He loved his sister too, tenderly loved her, and yet when he had taken the resolution, and pa.s.sed his word that he would never see her again--even upon her death-bed he would not retract it--no entreaties could prevail upon him. And now, though he maintains, and I dare say loves, her child, yet you remember, when you brought him home, that he would not suffer him in his sight."

"Poor Miss Milner!" said Miss Woodley, in the most pitying accents.

"Nay," said Sandford, "Lord Elmwood has not _yet_ pa.s.sed his word, that he will never see her more--he has only threatened to do it; but I know enough of him to know, that his threats are generally the same as if they were executed."

"You are very good," said Miss Woodley, "to acquaint me of this in time--I may now warn Miss Milner of it, and she may observe more circ.u.mspection."

"By no means," cried Sandford, hastily--"What would you warn her for? It will do her no good--besides," added he, "I don't know whether Lord Elmwood does not expect secrecy on my part; and if he does----"

"But, with all deference to your opinion," said Miss Woodley, (and with all deference did she speak) "don't you think, Mr. Sandford, that secrecy upon this occasion would be wicked? For consider the anguish that it may occasion to my friend; and if, by advising her, we can save her from----" She was going on.----

"You may call it wicked, Madam, not to inform her of what I have hinted at," cried he; "but I call it a breach of confidence--if it _was_ divulged to me in confidence----"

He was going to explain; but Miss Milner entered, and put an end to the discourse. She had been pa.s.sing the whole morning at an auction, and had laid out near two hundred pounds in different things for which she had no one use, but bought them because they were said to be cheap--among the rest was a lot of books upon chemistry, and some Latin authors.

"Why, Madam," cried Sandford, looking over the catalogue where her purchases were marked by a pencil, "do you know what you have done? You can't read a word of these books."

"Can't I, Mr. Sandford? But I a.s.sure you that you will be very much pleased with them, when you see how elegantly they are bound."

"My dear," said Mrs. Horton, "why have you bought china? You and my Lord Elmwood have more now, than you have places to put them in."

"Very true, Mrs. Horton--I forgot that--but then you know I can give these away."

Lord Elmwood was in the room at the conclusion of this conversation----he shook his head and sighed.

"My Lord," said she, "I have had a very agreeable morning; but I wished for you--if you had been with me, I should have bought a great many other things; but I did not like to appear unreasonable in your absence."

Sandford fixed his inquisitive eyes upon Lord Elmwood, to observe his countenance--he smiled, but appeared thoughtful.

"And, oh! my Lord, I have bought you a present," said she.

"I do not wish for a present, Miss Milner."

"What not from me? Very well."

"If you present me with yourself, it is all that I ask."

Sandford moved upon his chair, as if he sat uneasy.

"Why then, Miss Woodley," said Miss Milner, "_you_ shall have the present. But then it won't suit you--it is for a gentleman. I'll keep it and give it to my Lord Frederick the first time I meet with him. I saw him this morning, and he looked divinely--I longed to speak to him."

Miss Woodley cast, by stealth, an eye of apprehension upon Lord Elmwood's face, and trembled at seeing it flushed with resentment.

Sandford stared with both his eyes full upon him: then threw himself upright on his chair, and took a pinch of snuff upon the strength of the Earl's uneasiness.

A silence ensued.

After a short time--"You all appear melancholy," said Miss Milner: "I wish I had not come home yet."

Miss Woodley was in agony--she saw Lord Elmwood's extreme displeasure, and dreaded lest he should express it by some words he could not recall, or she could not forgive--therefore, whispering to her she had something particular to say, she took her out of the room.

The moment she was gone, Mr. Sandford rose nimbly from his seat, rubbed his hands, walked briskly across the room, then asked Lord Elmwood in a cheerful tone, "Whether he dined at home to-day?"

That which had given Sandford cheerfulness, had so depressed Lord Elmwood, that he sat dejected and silent. At length he answered in a faint voice, "No, I believe I shall _not_ dine at home."

"Where is your Lords.h.i.+p going to dine?" asked Mrs. Horton; "I thought we should have had your company to-day; Miss Milner dines at home, I believe."

"I have not yet determined where I shall dine," replied he, taking no notice of the conclusion of her speech.

"My Lord, if you mean to go to the hotel, I'll go with you, if you please," cried Sandford officiously.

"With all my heart, Sandford--" and they both went out together, before Miss Milner returned to the apartment.

CHAPTER VIII.

Miss Woodley, for the first time, disobeyed the will of Mr. Sandford; and as soon as Miss Milner and she were alone, repeated all he had revealed to her; accompanying the recital, with her usual testimonies of sympathy and affection. But had the genius of Sandford presided over this discovery, it could not have influenced the mind of Miss Milner to receive the intelligence with a temper more exactly the opposite of that which it was the intention of the informer to recommend. Instead of shuddering at the menace Lord Elmwood had uttered, she said, she "Dared him to perform it." "He dares not," repeated she.

"Why dares not?" said Miss Woodley.

"Because he loves me too well--because his own happiness is too dear to him."

"I believe he loves you," replied Miss Woodley, "and yet there is a doubt if----"

"There shall be no longer a doubt," cried Miss Milner, "I'll put him to the proof."

"For shame, my dear! you talk inconsiderately--what can you mean by proof?"

"I mean I will do something that no prudent man _ought_ to forgive; and yet, with all his vast share of prudence, _he_ shall forgive it, and make a sacrifice of just resentment to partial affection."