Henriettas Wish | Page 9

that
Aunt Roger was struck dumb with admiration. I shall not forget Lady
Susan's visit the last morning we spent with her in London, how
amazed she was to find 'poor Beatrice' looking so bright and like
herself, and how little she guessed at her morning's work, the study of
shirt-making, and the copying out a review of her husband's, full of
Greek quotations."
"Well, the poverty is all over now," said Henrietta; "but still they live in
a very quiet way, considering Aunt Geoffrey's connexions and the
fortune he has made."
"Who put that notion into your head, my wise daughter?" said Mrs.
Langford.
Henrietta blushed, laughed, and mentioned Lady Matilda St. Leger, a
cousin of her aunt Geoffrey's of whom she had seen something in the
last year.
"The truth is," said Mrs. Langford, "that your aunt had display and
luxury enough in her youth to value it as it deserves, and he could not
desire it except for her sake. They had rather give with a free hand,
beyond what any one knows or suspects."
"Ah! I know among other things that he sends Alexander to school,"
said Fred.
"Yes, and the improvements at Knight Sutton," said Henrietta, "the
school, and all that grandpapa wished but could never afford. Well,

mamma, if you made the match, you deserve to be congratulated on
your work."
"There's nobody like Uncle Geoffrey, I have said, and shall always
maintain," said Fred.
His mother sighed, saying, "I don't know what we should have done
without him!" and became silent. Henrietta saw an expression on her
countenance which made her unwilling to disturb her, and nothing
more was said till it was discovered that it was bed time.

CHAPTER III
.

"Where is Madame?" asked Frederick of his sister, as she entered the
breakfast room alone the next morning with the key of the tea-chest in
her hand.
"A headache," answered Henrietta, "and a palpitation."
"A bad one?"
"Yes, very; and I am afraid it is our fault, Freddy; I am convinced it
will not do, and we must give it up."
"How do you mean? The going to Knight Sutton? What has that to do
with it? Is it the reviving old recollections that is too much for her?"
"Just listen what an effect last evening's conversation had upon her.
Last night, after I had been asleep a long time, I woke up, and there I
saw her kneeling before the table with her hands over her face. Just
then it struck one, and soon after she got into bed. I did not let her
know I was awake, for speaking would only have made it worse, but I
am sure she did not sleep all night, and this morning she had one of her
most uncomfortable fits of palpitation. She had just fallen asleep, when
I looked in after dressing, but I do not think she will be fit to come
down to-day."
"And do you think it was talking of Uncle and Aunt Geoffrey that
brought it on?" said Fred, with much concern; "yet it did not seem to
have much to do with my father."
"O but it must," said Henrietta. "He must have been there all the time
mixed up in everything. Queen Bee has told me how they were always
together when they were children."

"Ah! perhaps; and I noticed how she spoke about her wedding," said
Fred. "Yes, and to compare how differently it has turned out with Aunt
Geoffrey and with her, after they had been young and happy together.
Yes, no doubt it was he who persuaded the people at Knight Sutton into
letting them marry!"
"And their sorrow that she spoke of must have been his death," said
Henrietta. "No doubt the going over those old times renewed all those
thoughts."
"And you think going to Knight Sutton might have the same effect.
Well, I suppose we must give it up," said Fred, with a sigh. "After all,
we can be very happy here!"
"O yes! that we can. It is more on your account than mine, that I wished
it," said the sister.
"And I should not have thought so much of it, if I had not thought it
would be pleasanter for you when I am away," said Fred.
"And so," said Henrietta, laughing yet sighing, "we agree to persuade
each other that we don't care about it."
Fred performed a grimace, and remarked that if Henrietta continued to
make her tea so scalding, there would soon be a verdict against her of
fratricide; but the observation, being intended to conceal certain
feelings of disappointment and heroism, only led to silence.
After sleeping for some hours, Mrs. Langford awoke refreshed, and got
up, but did not leave her room. Frederick