There had been no meeting since the one decisive interview
just before she had left her original home, and there
were many more bitter feelings than could be easily
assuaged in looking forward to a renewal of intercourse,
when all too late, she knew that she should soon be
no longer needed by her sister. She tried to
feel it all just retribution, she tried to rejoice
in Ermine’s coming happiness; she tried to believe
that the sight of Harry Beauchamp, as a married man,
would be the best cure for her; she blamed and struggled
with herself: and after all, her distress was
wasted, Harry Beauchamp had not chosen to come home
with his cousin, who took his unwillingness to miss
a hunting-day rather angrily and scornfully.
Alison put her private interpretation on the refusal,
and held aloof, while Colin owned to Ermine his vexation
and surprise at the displeasure that Harry Beauchamp
maintained against his old schoolfellow, and his absolute
refusal to listen to any arguments as to his innocence.
This seemed to have been Colin’s prominent interest
in his expedition to Bath; the particulars of the
wedding were less easily drawn from him. The
bride had indeed been perfection, all was charming
wherever she brought her ready grace and sweetness,
and she had gratified the Colonel by her affectionate
messages to Ermine, and her evident intention to make
all straight between Lord Keith and his daughter Mary.
But the Clare relations had not made a favourable
impression; the favourite blind uncle had not been
present, in spite of Bessie’s boast, and it
was suspected that Alick had not chosen to forward
his coming. Alick had devolved the office of
giving his sister away upon the Colonel, as her guardian,
and had altogether comported himself with more than
his usual lazy irony, especially towards the Clare
cousinhood, who constantly buzzed round him, and received
his rebuffs as delightful jests and compliments, making
the Colonel wonder all the more at the perfect good
taste and good breeding of his new sister-in-law,
who had spent among them all the most critical years
of her life.
She had been much amused with the prospectus of the
“Journal of Female Industry,” but she
sent word to Rachel that she advised her not to publish
any list of subscribers—the vague was far
more impressive than the certain. The first
number must be sent to her at Paris, and trust her
for spreading its fame!
The Colonel did not add to his message her recommendation
that the frontispiece should represent the Spinster’s
Needles, with the rescue of Don as the type of female
heroism. Nor did he tell how carefully he had
questioned both her and Rachel as to the date of that
interesting adventure.
