knew and loved--them. And we should not meet so many strangers. Only think what numbers of Lyddells there are! Boys to make Gerald rude, and girls, and a governess--all strangers. And they go to London!' concluded poor Marian, reaching the climax of her terrors. 'O Edmund, can you do nothing for us?'
'You certainly do not embellish matters in anticipation. You will find them very different from what you expect--even London itself, which, by the by, you would have to endure even if you were with Selina, whom I suspect to be rather too fine and fashionable a lady for such a homely little Devonshire girl.'
'That Mrs. Lyddell will be. She is a very gay person, and they have quantities of company. O Edmund!'
'The quantities of company,' replied her cousin, 'will interfere with you far less in your schoolroom with the Miss Lyddells, than alone with my Lady Marchmont, where, at your unrecognized age, you would be in rather an awkward situation.'
'Or I could go to Torquay, to old Aunt Jessie?'
'Aunt Jessie would not be much obliged for the proposal of giving her such a charge.'
'But I should take care of her, and make her life less dismal and lonely.'
'That may be very well some years hence, when you are your own mistress: but at present I believe the trouble and change of habits which having you with her would occasion, would not be compensated by all your attention and kindness. Have you written to her yet?'
'No, I do not know how, and I hoped it was one of the letters that you undertook for me.'
'I think I ought not to relieve you of that. Aunt Jessie is your nearest relation; I am sure this has been a great blow to her, and that it has cost her much effort to write to you herself. You must not turn her letter over to me, like a mere complimentary condolence.'
'Very well,' said Marian, with a sigh, 'though I cannot guess what I shall say. And about Selina?'
'You had better write and tell her how you are situated, and I will do the same to Lord Marchmont.'
'And when must we go to the Lyddells? I thought he meant more than mere civility, when he spoke of Oakworthy this morning, at breakfast.'
'He spoke of taking you back to London immediately, but I persuaded him to wait till they go into Wiltshire, so you need not be rooted up from Fern Torr just yet.'
'Thank you, that is a great reprieve.'
'And do not make up your mind beforehand to be unhappy at Oakworthy. Very likely you will take root there, and wonder you ever shrank from being transplanted to your new home.'
'Never! never! it is cruel to say that any place but this can be like home! And you, Edmund, what shall you do, where shall you go, when you have leave of absence?'
'I shall never ask for it,' said he with an effort, while his eye fell on the window of the room which had been his own for so many years, and the thought crossed him, 'Mine no more.' It had been his home, as fully as that of his two cousins, but now it was nothing to him; and while they had each other to cling to, he stood in the world a lonely man.
Marian perceived his emotion, but rather than seem to notice it, she assumed a sort of gaiety. 'I'll tell you, Edmund. You shall marry a very nice wife, and take some delightful little house somewhere hereabouts, and we will come and stay with you till Gerald is of age.'
'Which he will be long before I have either house or wife,' said Edmund, in the same tone, 'but mind, Marian, it is a bargain, unless you grow so fond of the Lyddells as to retract.'
