Chamberss Edinburgh Journal, No. 452 | Page 6

never seen you. How do you know that she might not
have fallen in love with you at first sight?--as somebody else did,' she
added playfully.
'Because, my dear little girl, she happens to be in love already. She did
not wait to see me, but wisely gave away her heart when she met a man
that pleased her.'
'But you're mistaken,' answered Frances, beginning to feel alarmed;

'you are indeed! I know Frances Seymour has no attachment. I know
that till she saw you--I mean that--I am certain she has no attachment,
nor ever had any.'
'Perhaps you are not altogether in her confidence.'
'O yes, I am indeed.'
Major Elliott shook his head, and smiled significantly. 'Rely on it,' he
said, 'that what I tell you is the fact; but you have probably not seen
Miss Seymour very lately, which would sufficiently account for your
ignorance of her secret. I am told that she is extremely handsome and
charming, and that she sings divinely.'
Five minutes earlier, Frances would have been delighted with this
testimony to her attractions; and would have been ready with a repartee
about the loss he would sustain in relinquishing so many perfections for
her sake; but now her heart was growing faint with terror, and her
tongue clove to the roof of her mouth. Thoughts that would fill pages
darted through her brain like lightning--dreadful possibilities, that she
had never foreseen nor thought of.
Vincent Dunbar's regiment had been in India; she knew it was one of
the seventies; but she had either never heard the exact number, or she
had not sufficiently attended to the subject to know which it was. Major
Elliott's regiment had also been in India; and it was the 76th. Suppose it
were the same, and that the two officers were acquainted--and suppose
they had met since Vincent's departure from Dunbar House! The young
man had occasionally spoken to her of his brother-officers; she
remembered Poole, and Wainright, and Carter; the name of Elliott he
had certainly not mentioned; but it was naturally of his own friends and
companions he spoke, not of the field-officers. Then, when she told
him that she had been betrothed by her father, she had not said to
whom; but might he not, by some unlucky chance, have found that out?
And might not an explanation have ensued!
Could Major Elliott have distinctly discovered the expression of her
features, he would have seen that it was something more than

perplexity that kept her silent; but the light fell obscurely on the seat
they occupied, and he suspected nothing but that she was puzzled and
surprised.
'I see you are very curious to learn the secret,' he said, 'and if it were
my own, you should not pine in ignorance, I assure you; but as it is a
young lady's, I am bound to keep it till she chooses to disclose it herself.
However, I hope your curiosity will soon be satisfied, for I have
ascertained that Mr and Mrs Wentworth are to be in England almost
immediately--they have been some time on the continent--and then we
shall come to a general understanding. In the meantime, my dearest
Fanny'----
But Frances, unable longer to control her agitation, took advantage of a
slight noise in the hall, to say that Mr and Mrs Gaskoin were coming;
and before he had time to finish his sentence, she started to her feet,
and rushed out of the room.
On the other side of the hall was Mrs Gaskoin's boudoir, where she and
her husband were sitting over the fire, awaiting the result of the
tête-à-tête in the drawing-room.
'Well?' said they, rising as the door opened and a pale face looked in. 'Is
it all settled?'
'Ask me nothing now, I beseech you!' said Frances. 'I'm going to my
room; tell Major Elliott I am not well; say I'm agitated--anything you
like; but remember, he still thinks me Fanny Gaskoin'----
'But, my dear girl, I cannot permit that deception to be carried any
further; it has lasted too long already,' said Mr Gaskoin.
'Only to-night!' said Frances.
'It is not fair to Major Elliott,' urged Mrs Gaskoin.
'Only to-night! only to-night!' reiterated Frances. 'There! he's coming; I
hear his step in the hall! Let me out this way!' and so saying, she darted

out of a door that led to the backstairs, and disappeared.
'She has refused him!' said Mrs Gaskoin. 'I confess I am amazed.'
But Major Elliott met them with a smiling face. 'What has become of
Frances?' said he.
'She rushed in to us in a state of violent agitation, and begged we would
tell you that she is not well, and is gone to her room. I'm afraid the
result of your interview has not been