The Two Guardians | Page 9

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."

"Impossible."
"Well, I will not strengthen your prejudices by contending with them."
"Prejudice! to say that I can never be as happy anywhere as at my own
dear home! To say that I cannot bear strangers!"
"If they were to remain strangers for all the years that you are likely to
spend with them, there might be something in that. But I see you
cannot bear to be told that you can ever be happy again, so I will not
say so any more, especially as I must finish my letters."
"And I will try to write mine," said Marian with a sigh, as she reached
the door, and went up to take off her bonnet.
Edmund lingered for a moment in the hall, and there was met by Mrs.
Wortley, who said she was glad to see that he had been out, for he was
looking pale and harassed. "I did not go out for any pleasant purpose,"
said he. "I had to pronounce sentence on poor Marian."
"Is it finally settled?" said Mrs. Wortley. "We still had hopes of
keeping her."
"Sir Gerald and Miss Arundel are of too much distinction in Mr.
Lyddell's eyes to be left to their best friends," said Edmund. "It was
hard to persuade him not to take possession directly, on the plea of
change being good for their spirits."
"It is very kind of you to put off the evil day," said Mrs. Wortley; "it
will be a grievous parting for poor Agnes."
"A grievous business for every one," said Edmund.
"How? Do not you think well of Mr. and Mrs. Lyddell?"
"I know my uncle never thought of these poor children's living with
them. He thought Mr. Lyddell a good man of business, but neither he
nor my aunt ever dreamed of such a home for them."

"Would they have preferred Lady Marchmont's? Marian is very fond of
her, and was much gratified by a very nice affectionate letter that she
received this morning."
"Yes, but I am glad she is out of the question. It is offering a great deal
both on her part and her husband's to take charge of these two, but it
would never do. She is almost a child herself,--a bride and beauty under
twenty,--excessively admired, very likely to have her head turned. No,
it would be too absurd. All her kindness, amiability, desire to make
Marian her friend and companion, would only serve to do harm."
"Yes, you are right; yet I cannot help half wishing it could be, if it was
only to save poor Marian her terrors of going among strangers."
"I know exactly how it will be," said Edmund. "She will shut herself up
in a double proof case of shyness and reserve. They