Tales and Novels, vol 5 | Page 6

Maria Edgeworth
I had--my new hat to try on."
"True, my love; quite right; for you know I wouldn't have her suspect
that we had any thing to say to each other that we didn't wish her to
hear, especially as it is about herself."

"Herself!--Oh, is it?" said Miss Hunter, in a tone of disappointment.
"And about you, too, my darling. Be assured I have no daughter I love
better, or ever shall. With such a son as I have, and such a
daughter-in-law as I hope and trust I shall have ere long, I shall think
myself the most fortunate of mothers."
Silly Miss Hunter's face brightened up again. "But now, my love,"
continued Mrs. Beaumont, taking her hand, leading her to a window,
and speaking very low, though no one else was in the room, "before we
talk any more of what is nearest my heart, I must get you to write a
note for me to your brother, directly, for there is a circumstance I
forgot--thoughtless creature that I am! but indeed, I never can think
when I feel much. Some people are always so collected and prudent.
But I have none of that!--Heigho! Well, my dear, you must supply my
deficiencies. You will write and tell Sir John, that in my agitation when
he made his proposal for my Amelia, of which I so frankly approved, I
omitted to warn him, that no hint must be given that I do any thing
more than permit him to address my daughter upon an equal footing
with any other gentleman who might address her. Stay, my dear; you
don't understand me, I see. In short, to be candid with you--old Mr.
Palmer is coming to-day, you know. Now, my dear, you must be aware
that it is of the greatest consequence to the interests of my family, of
which I hope you always consider yourself (for I have always
considered you) as forming a part, and a very distinguished part--I say,
my darling, that we must consider that it is our interest in all things to
please and humour this good old gentleman. He will be with us but for
a week, you know. Well, the point is this. I have been informed from
undoubted authority, people who were about him at the time, and knew,
that the reason he quarrelled with that nephew of his, who died two
years ago, was the young man's having accepted a baronetage: and at
that time old Palmer swore, that no sprig of quality--those were the
very words--should ever inherit a shilling of his money. Such a
ridiculous whim! But these London merchants, who make great
fortunes from nothing, are apt to have their little eccentricities; and then,
they have so much pride in their own way, and so much self-will and
mercantile downrightness in their manners, that there's no managing

them but by humouring their fancies. I'm convinced, if Mr. Palmer
suspected that I even wished Amelia to marry Sir John, he would never
leave any of us a farthing, and it would all go to the Walsinghams. So,
my dear, do you explain to your brother, that though I have not the least
objection to his coming here whilst Mr. Palmer is with us, he must not
take umbrage at any seeming coldness in my manner. He knows my
heart, I trust; at least, you do, my Albina. And even if I should be
obliged to receive or to go to see the Walsinghams, which, by-the-bye,
I have taken means to prevent; but if it should happen that they were to
hear of Palmer's being with us, and come, and Sir John should meet
them, he must not he surprised or jealous at my speaking in the highest
terms of Captain Walsingham. This I shall be obliged to do as a blind
before Mr. Palmer. I must make him believe that I prefer a commoner
for my son-in-law, or we are all undone with him. You know it is my
son's interest, and yours, as well as your brother's and Amelia's, that I
consider. So explain all this to him, my dear; you will explain it so
much better, and make it so much more palpable to your brother than I
could."
"Dear Mrs. Beaumont, how can you think so? You who write so well,
and such long letters about every thing, and so quick! But goodness! I
shall never get it all into a letter I'm afraid, and before Mr. Palmer
comes, and then it will soon be dressing-time! La! I could say it all to
John in five minutes: what a pity he is not here to-day!"
"Well, my love, then suppose you were to go to him; as you so
prudently remark, things of this sort are always so
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