That is the explanation of her
friendliness towards Cecil."
"But Julia Gardiner is as good as married," cried Lady Angleby. "Cecil
will be cruelly disappointed if you forbid him to speak to Miss Fairfax.
Pray, say nothing, at least until to-night is over."
"I shall not interfere at the present point. Let him use his own
discretion, and incur a rebuff if he please. But his visits to
Abbotsmead are pleasant, and I would prefer not to have either Elizabeth
annoyed or his visits given up."
"You have used him so generously that whatever you wish must have his
first consideration," said Lady Angleby. She was extremely surprised by
the indulgent tone Mr. Fairfax assumed towards his granddaughter: she
would rather have seen him apply a stern authority to the management of
that self-willed young lady, for there was no denial that he, quite as
sincerely as herself, desired the alliance between their families.
Mr. Fairfax had not chosen a very opportune moment to trouble her
ladyship's mind with his own doubts. She was always nervous on the eve
of an entertainment at Brentwood, and this fresh anxiety agitated her to
such a degree that Miss Burleigh suffered a martyrdom before her duty of
superintendence over the preparations in ball-room and supper-room was
accomplished. Her aunt found time to tell her Mr. Fairfax's opinions
respecting his granddaughter, and she again found time to communicate
them to her brother.
Pages:
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367