These circumstances had induced an intimacy between the families that was cemented by the good opinion each entertained of the qualities of the other, and which had been so long and so often tried in scenes of happiness and misery, that were known to both. Young Morton was a few years the senior of Charlotte; and, at the time of commencing our tale, was but lately released from his collegiate labours. His goodness of heart and simplicity of manners made him an universal favourite; while the peculiarity of their situation brought him oftener before the notice of Charlotte than any other young man of her acquaintance.--But, notwithstanding the intimation of Maria Osgood, none of their friends in the least suspected any other feeling to exist between the youthful pair than the natural and very obvious one of disinterested esteem. As the family seated themselves at the dinner table, their guest exclaimed, in the heedless way that characterised her manner--"Oh! Mrs. Henly, I have to congratulate you on the prospects of your soon having a son, and one so amiable and attractive as your daughter.""Indeed!" returned the matron, comprehending the other's meaning intuitively, "and what may be the young gentleman's name?""You will be the envy of all the mothers in town,"continued Maria, "and deservedly so. Two such children to fall to the lot of one mother!--Nay, do not shake your head, Charlotte; it must and shall be a match, I am determined.""My friendship for you would deter me from the measure, should nothing else interfere," said Charlotte, good humouredly.
"Ah! I have already abandoned my pretensions--twelve brothers and sisters, my dear, are a dreadful addition to bring into a family at once!""I am sure I do not think so," returned Charlotte, timidly glancing her eye at her mother; "besides, Ifeel bound in honour to remember your original intention.""I tell you I have abandoned it, with all thoughts of the youth.""And who is the youth?" asked Mrs. Henly, affecting an indifference that she did not feel.
"You will have the handsomest son in the city, certainly," said Maria; "and, possibly, the richest--and the most learned--and, undeniably, the most admired!""You quite excite my curiosity to know who this paragon can be," said the mother, looking at her husband, who returned the glance with one of equal solicitude.
"I do not think he is more than four and twenty,"added Maria; "and his black eyes would form a charming contrast to your blue ones.""To whom does Miss Osgood allude?" asked Mrs.
Henly, yielding to a solicitude that she could no longer controul.
"To Mr. Seymour Delafield," said Charlotte, raising her mild eyes to the face of her mother, and smiling, as she delicately pared her apple, with a simple ingenuousness that banished uneasiness from the breast of her parent in an instant.
"I know him," said Mr. Henly; "but I did not think you had ever seen him, Charlotte.""We met him in our morning walk, sir, and Maria introduced him.""He is thought to be very handsome," continued her father, helping himself to a glass of wine while speaking.
"And very justly," returned the daughter; "I think him the handsomest man that I have ever seen.""Have I your permission for telling him so?" cried Maria, with a laugh.
"I have not the least objection to his knowing it, on my own account, except from the indelicacy of complimenting a gentleman," said Charlotte, with perfect simplicity; "but whether it would be beneficial to himself or not, you can best judge.""You think him vain, then?" observed her mother.
"Not in the least; or, rather, he did not exhibit it to me"--was the answer, with the same open air as before.
"He has also a great reputation for good sense,"continued her father, avoiding the face of his child.
"I thought he had wit, sir."
"And not good sense?"
"Am I a judge?" asked Charlotte, rising, and holding a lighted paper to her father, while he took a new segar.
Her clear blue eyes resting on him in the fulness of filial affection, as she performed this office, and the open air with which she bent forward to receive the kiss he offered in thanks, removed any apprehensions which the name of their morning's companion might have excited.
Mr. Henly knew nothing concerning this young man that would induce him at all to avoid the connexion, but still he had not yet examined his character with that searching vigilance that he thought due to the innocence and merit of his child. Determining within himself, however, that this was a task that should no longer be neglected, he rose, and telling the ladies that he left the bottle with them, withdrew to his study.
The door had hardly closed behind Mr. Henly, when George Morton entered the dining parlour, with the freedom of an old and favourite friend, and telling Mrs. Henly that, in consequence of his family's dining out, and his own engagements, he was fasting, and begged her charity for a meal. From the instant that he appeared, Charlotte had risen with alacrity, and was no sooner acquainted with his wants, than she rung to order what he required.
She brought him a glass of sparkling wine with her own hands, and pushing a chair nearer to the fire than the one he occupied, she said--"Sit here, George, you appear chilled--I thought you would miss your coat.""I thank you," returned the youth, turning on her an eye of the most open affection; "I do feel unusually cold, and begin to think, that with my weak lungs it would have been more prudent to have taken a surtout."{surtout = overcoat}
"And how was the poor man when you left him?""Much better, and in extremely good quarters," said George; but, turning quickly to Miss Osgood, he added, "So, Miss Maria, your beau has condescended to walk with you at last?""Yes, Mr. Impudence," said Maria, smiling; {"}but come, fill your mouth with food, and be silent."He did as requested, and the conversation changed.
