Henrietta again occurred to her; the letter she had
seen in her hands was still unexplained: yet
her entire conviction that Henrietta was not loved
by him, joined to a certainty that affection alone
could ever make him think of her, lessened upon this
subject her suspicions every moment.
Lady Euphrasia Pemberton, at last, rested most upon
her mind, and she thought it probable some actual
treaty was negociating with the Duke of Derwent.
Mrs Delvile she had every reason to believe was her
friend, though she was scrupulously delicate in avoiding
either raillery or observation upon the subject of
her son, whom she rarely mentioned, and never but
upon occasions in which Cecilia could have no possible
interest.
The Father, therefore, notwithstanding all Mr Monckton
had represented to the contrary, appeared to be the
real obstacle; his pride might readily object to her
birth, which though not contemptible, was merely decent,
and which, if traced beyond her grandfather, lost all
title even to that epithet.
“If this, however,” she cried, “is
at last his situation, how much have I been to blame
in censuring his conduct! for while to me he has appeared
capricious, he has, in fact, acted wholly from necessity:
if his father insists upon his forming another connection,
has he not been honourable, prudent and just, in flying
an object that made him think of disobedience, and
endeavouring to keep her ignorant of a partiality
it is his duty to curb?”
All, therefore, that remained for her to do or to
resolve, was to guard her own secret with more assiduous
care than ever, and since she found that their union
was by himself thought impossible, to keep from his
knowledge that the regret was not all his own.
A MYSTERY.
For two days, in consequence of violent colds caught
during the storm, Lady Honoria Pemberton and Cecilia
were confined to their rooms. Cecilia, glad by
solitude and reflection to compose her spirits and
settle her plan of conduct, would willingly have still
prolonged her retirement, but the abatement of her
cold affording her no pretence, she was obliged on
the third day to make her appearance.
Lady Honoria, though less recovered, as she had been
more a sufferer, was impatient of any restraint, and
would take no denial to quitting her room at the same
time; at dinner, therefore, all the family met at
usual.
Mr Delvile, with his accustomed solemnity of civility,
made various enquiries and congratulations upon their
danger and their security, carefully in both, addressing
himself first to Lady Honoria, and then with more
stateliness in his kindness, to Cecilia. His lady,
who had frequently visited them both, had nothing
new to hear.
Delvile did not come in till they were all seated,
when, hastily saying he was glad to see both the ladies
so well again, he instantly employed himself in carving,
with the agitation of a man who feared trusting himself
to sit idle.
