*a«BK?55r2= ^/. ^/l^i^e}^i/'^fJ- ^t*/^ (fy^t/t^/^/uoy' <:yl/. ..yfcctrt^^ ^^Z^i^i-A^^n^ £ 6cni/lf6'>TH4(y^ x//^ C^a^^^fnui/ <«2-v^«&^ji|^ .^ - -«:fie^ <^4 Jfc. Iss^^^ •^saar^ ."^ < -i 5 <^ ^ 'M\ : t^KK Pack S5. -vr\i:o'\{ HENRIETTA'S WISH; DOMINEERING. E E^U. BV THK AUTHOR OF "SCENES AND CHARACTERS," " KINGS OK ENGLAND," ETC. "THE LESSON OF SWEET PEACE I KKAD RATHRR IN ALL TO BE BESIONED THAN BLEST." CHHISTIAN YKAK. SeconU ©Jition. LONDON : JOSEPH MASTERS, ALDERSGATE STREET, AND NEW BOND STREET. .MDCCCLIII. LONUON : ntlNTFI) BY JOSEPH MASTERS A.Vn CD. AI.UliRSGATK STREKT. HEmnV MOf?SE STCPHCIfS HilHIEfTA nn ©1. BOMSirmMH. CHAPTEE I. Ox tlie afternoon of a warm day in the end of July, an open carriage was waiting in front of the painted toy-looking building which served as the railway station of Teignmouth. The fine bay horses stood patiently enduring the attacks of hosts of winged foes, too well-behaved to express their annoyance other^^dse than by tvvitchings of their sleek shining skins, but duly grateful to the coachman, who roused himself now and then to whisk off some more pertinacious tormentor with the end of his whip. Less patient was the sole occupant of the car- riage, a maiden of about sixteen years of age, whose shady dark grey eyes, parted lips, and flushed complexion, were all full of the utmost eagerness, as every two or three minutes she looked up from the book which she held in her hand to examine tlie clock over the station door, compare it with her watch, and study the counXenam-es j;^f tlie bv- 1 . IIEKRIETTA S WISn. standers to see whether they expressed any anxiety respecting tlie non-arrival of the train. All, how- ever, seemed quite at their ease, and after a time the arrival of the railway omnibus and two or three other carriages, convinced her that the rest of the world only now began to consider it to be due. At last the ringing of a bell quickened everybody into a sudden state of activity, and assured her that the much-desired moment was come. The cloud of smoke was seen, the panting of the engine was heard, the train displayed its length before the station, men ran along tapping the doors of the carriages, and shouting a word which bore some distant resemblance to '' Teignraouth," and at the same moment various travellers emerged from the different vehicles. Her eye eagerly sought out one of these arrivals, who on his side, after a liasty greeting to the ser- vant who met him on the platform, hurried to the carriage, and sprang into it. The two faces, ex- actly alike in form, complexion, and features, Avere for one moment pressed together, then withdi'aAvn, in the consciousness of the publicity of the scene, but the hands remained locked together, and ear- nest Avas the tone of the " WeU, Fred!" "Well, Henrietta!" which formed the greeting of the twin brother and sister. "And was not mamma w^ell enough to come?" asked Frederick, as the carriage turned away from the station. " She was afraid of the heat. She had some business letters to write yesterday, which teased her, and she has not recovered them yet ; but she has been very well, on the whole, this summer. But what of your school affairs, Fred ? How did the examination go off?" " I am fourth, and Alex Langford fifth. Every one says the prize will lie between us next year." HENRIETTA S WISU. d " Surely," said Henrietta, " you must be able to beat him then, if you are before him now." "Don't make too sure, Henrietta," said Frede- rick, shaking his head, " Langford is a hard-work- ing fellow, very exact and accurate ; I should not have been before him now if it had not been for my verses." " I know Beatrice is very proud of Alexander," said Henrietta, " she would make a great deal of his success." " AVhy of his more tlian of that of any other cousin?" said Frederick witli some dissatisfaction. " O you know he is the only one of the Knight Sutton cousins whom she patronizes ; all the others she calls cubs and bears and Osbaldistones. And indeed, Uncle Greoifrey says he thinks it was in great part owing to her that Alex is diiferent from the rest. At least he began to think him worth cultivating from the time he found him and Busy Bee perched up together in an apple-tree, she tell- ing liim tlie story of Alexander the Grreat. And how she always talks about Alex when she is here." " Is she at Knight Sutton ?" " Yes, Aunt Greoifrey would not come here be- cause she did not wish to be far from London, because old Lady Susan has not been well. And only tliink, Fred, Queen Bee says there is a ^'ery nice house to be let close to the village, and they went to look at it with grandpapa, and be kept on saying how well it would do for us." " O, if we could but get mamma there;" said Fred. " What does she say ?" " She knows the house, and says it is a very pleasant one," said Henrietta ; " but that is not an inch — no, not the hundredth part of an inch — to- wards goinnj there !" " It would surely be a good thing for her if she B 2 4 HEIs'EIETTA 8 WISH. could but be brought to believe so," said Frederick. " All her attacliments are there — her own home ; my fiither's home." " There is nothing but the sea to be attached to, here," said Henrietta. " Nobody can take root without some local interest, and as to acquaintance, the people are always changing." " And there is nothing to do," added Fred ; " nothing possible but boating and riding, which are not worth the misery which they cause her, as Uncle Geoffrey says. It is very, very — " " Aggravating," said Henrietta, suppl>Tng one of the numerous stock of family slang words. " Yes, aggravating," said he with a smile, " to be placed under the necessity of being absurd, or of annoying her!" " Annoying ! Fred, you do not know a quar- ter of what she goes through when she thinks you are in any danger. It could not be worse if you were on the field of battle ! And it is very strange, for she is not at all a timid person for herself. In the boat, that time when the wdnd rose, I am sure Aunt Greofirey was more afraid than she was, and I have seen it again and again that she is not easily frightened." " No : and I do not think she is afraid for you." " Not as she is for you, Fred ; but then boys are so much more precious than girls, and besides they love to endanger themselves so much, that I think that is reasonable." " Uncle Greoffi'ey thinks there is something nervous and morbid in it," said Fred: "he thinks that it is the remains of the horror of the sudden shock—" "What? Our father's accident?" asked Hen- rietta. " I never knew rightly about that. I only knew it was when we were but a week old." "No one saw it happen," said Fred; "he went HENRIETTA S WISK. 5 out riding, his horse came home without liiiu, and he was lying hy tlie side of the road." "Did they brhig liini home?" asked Henrietta, iu the same low thrilling tone in which her brother spoke. " Yes, but he never recovered his senses : he just said ' Mary,' once or twice, and only lived to the middle of the night!" " Terrible !" said Henrietta, with a shudder. " ! how did mamma ever recover it ? — at least, I do not think she has recovered it now, — but I me^nt live, or be even as well as she is." " She was fearfully ill for long after," said Fred, "and Uncle Geoffrey thinks that these anxieties for me are an effect of the shock. He says they are not at aU like her usual character. I am sure it is not to be wondered at." " O no, no," said Henrietta. " Wliat a mystery it has always seemed to us about papa ! She some- times mentioning him in talking about her childish days and Knight Sutton, but if we tried to ask any more, grandmamma stopping us directly, till we learned to believe we ought never to utter his name. I do believe, though, that mamma herself would have found it a comfort to talk to us about him, if poor dear grandmamma had not always cut her short, for fear it should be too much for her." " But had you not always an impression of some- thing dreadful about his death ?" " O yes, yes ; I do not know how we acquired it, but that I am sure we had, and it made us shrink from asking any questions, or even from talking to each other about it. All I knew I heard from Beatrice. Did Uncle Greoffrey tell you this ?" " Yes, he told me when he was here last Easter, and J was asking him to speak to mamma about my fishing, and saying how horrid it was to be kept back from everything. First he laughed, and said it b nENRlETTA S WISH. was the penalty of being an only son, and then he entered upon this history, to show me how it is." " But it is very odd that she should have let you learn to ride, which one would have thought she would have dreaded most of all." " That was because she thought it right, he says. Poor mamma, she said to him, ' Geoffrey, if yoil think it right that Fred should begin to ride, never mind my folly.' He says he thinks it cost her as much resolution to say that as it might to be mar- tyred. And the same about going to school." "Yes, yes; exactly," said Henrietta, "if she thinks it right, bear it she will, cost her what it may ! O there is nobody like mamma. Busy Bee says so, and she knows, living in London and see- ing so many people as she does." " I never saw any one so like a queen," said Fred. " ISTo, nor any one so beautiful, though she is so pale and thin. People say you are like her in her young days, Henrietta ; and, to be sure, you have a decent face of your own, but you will never be as beautiful as mamma, not if you live to be a hundred." " You are afraid to compliment my face because it is so like your OAvn, Master Fred," retorted his sister ; " but one comfort is, that I shall grow more like her by living to a hundred, whereas you will lose all the little likeness you have, and grow a grim old Black-beard! But I was going to say, Fred, that, though I think there is a great deal of truth in what Uncle Greoffrey said, yet I do believe that poor grandmamma made it worse. You know she had always been in India, and knew less about boys than mamma, Avho had been brought up with papa and my uncles, so she might really believe that ever}i;hing was dangerous ; and I have often seen her quite as much alarmed, or more perhaps, about you — her consolations just showing that she HENRIETTA S WISH. 7 was in a dreadful fright, and so making inamma twice as bad." "AVell," said Fred, sighing, "that is all over now, and she thouglit she was doing it all for the best." "And," proceeded Henrietta, "I t^iink, and Queen Bee thinks, that this perpetual staying on at Eocksand was more owing to her than to mam- ma. She imagined that mamma could not bear the sight of Knight Sutton, and tliat it was a great kindness to keep her from thinking of moving — " " Ay, and tliat nobody can doctor her but Mr. Clarke," added Fred. "Till now, I really believe," said Henrietta, " that the possibility of moving has entirely passed out of her mind, and she no more believes that she can do it than that the house can." "Yes," said Fred, "I do not thinlt a journey occurs to her among events possible, and yet with- out being very fond of this place." " Fond ! O no ! it never was meant to be a home, and has nothing homelike about it ! All her affections are really at Knight Sutton, and if she once went there, she would stay and be so much happier among her own friends, instead of being isolated here with me. In grandmamma's time it was not so bad for her, but now she has no com- panion at all but me. E-ocksand has all the lone- liness of the country without its advantages." " There is not much complaint as to happiness after all," said Fred. " No, no ! but then it is she who makes it de- lightfid, and it cannot be well for her to have no one to depend upon but me. Besides, hoAV useless one is here. No opportunity of doing anything for the poor people, no clergyman who will put one into the Avay of being useful. how nice it would be at Knight Sutton !" 8 hexeietta's wish. " And perhaps she would be cured of her fears," added Trcd ; " she Avould find no one to share them, and be convinced by seeing that the cousins there come to no harm. I wish Uncle Geoffrey woidd recommend it !" " Well, we will see what we can do," said Hen- rietta. " I do think we may persuade her, and I tliink we ought ; it woidd be for her happiness and for yours, and on all accounts I am convinced that it ought to be done." And as Henrietta came to this serious conclu- sion, they entered the steep stragghng street of the little town of E-ocksand, and presently were Avithin the gates of the sweep which led to the door of the verandahed Grothic cottage, which looked very tempting for a summer's lodging, but was little fitted for a permanent abode. In spite of all the longing wishes expressed during the drive, no ancestral home, beloved by in- heritance, could have been entered with more aifec- tionate rapture than that with which Frederick Langford sprung from the carriage, and flew to the arms of his mother, receiving and returning such a caress as could only be known by a boy conscious that he had done nothing to forfeit home love and confidence. Turning: back the fair hair that hung over his forehead, Mrs. Langford looked into his eyes, say- ing, half interrogatively, half affirmatively, "All right, Fred ? Nothing that we need be afraid to tell Uncle Geoftrey ? Well, Henrietta, he is gro\\Ti, but he has not passed you yet. And now, Freddy, tell us about your examination," added she, as, fondly leaning on his arm, she proceeded into the drawing-room, and they sat down together on the sofa, talking eagerly and joyously. Mrs. Frederick Henry Langford, to give her her proper style, was in truth one whose peculiar love- HENEIETTA S WISU. 9 liness of countenance well deserved the admiration expressed by her son. It was indeed pale and thin, but the features were beautifully formed, and had that expression of sweet placid resignation which would have made a far plainer face beautiful ; the eyes were deep dark blue, and though sorrow and suffering had dimmed their brightness, their softness was increased ; the smile was one of peace, of love, of serenity ; of one avIio, though sorrow- stricken, as it were, before her time, had lived on in meek patience and submission, almost a child in her ways, as devoted to her mother, as little with a wdll and way of her own, as free from the cares of this work-a-day world. The long luxuriant dark brown hair, whicli once, as now with Henrietta, had clustered in thick glossy ringlets over her comb and round her face, was in thick braids beneath the delicate lace cap which suited with her plain black silk dress. Her figure was slender, so tall that neither her well-grown son nor daughter had yet reached her height, and, as Frederick said, with something queenlike in its unconscious grace and dignity. As a girl she had been the merriest of the merry, and even now she had great playfulness of manner, and threvv' herself into the occupation of the mo- ment with a hfe and animation that gave an un- common charm to her manners, so that how com- pletely sorrow had depressed and broken her spirit would scarcely have been guessed by one who had not known her in earlier days. Frederick's account of his journey and of his school news was heard and commented on, a work of time extending far into the dinner ; the next matter in the regular course of conversation on the day of arrival was to talk over Uncle and Aunt Geoffrey's proceedings, and the Knight Sutton affairs. 10 Henrietta's ^visir. " So Uncle Greoffrey has bceu in the north ?" said Fred. " Yes, on a special retainer," said Mrs. Lang- ford, " and very much he seems to have enjoyed his chance of seeing York Catliedral." " He wrote to me in conrt," said Fred, "to tell me wliat books I had better get up for tliis examina- tion, and on a bit of paper scribbled all over one side vrith notes of the evidence. He said the Catliedral was beautiful beyond all he ever ima- gined." " Had he never seen it before ?" said Henrietta. " Lawyers seem made to travel in their vacations." " L'ncle Greoffrey could not be spared," said her mamma ; " I do not know what grandmamma Lang- ford would do if he cheated her of any more of his holidays than he bestows upon us. He is far too valuable to be allowed to take his own pleasure." " Besides, his own pleasure is at Knight Sutton," said Henrietta. " He goes home just as he used from school," said ]\irs. Langford, "indeed, except a few grey hairs and ' crowsfeet,' he is not in the least altered from those days ; his work and play come just in the same way." " And, as his daughter says, he is just as much the home pet," added Henrietta, " 0]ily rivalled by Busy Bee herself." " No," said Fred, "according to Aunt Greoffrey, they are two suns in one sphere ; Queen Bee is grandpapa's pet, Uncle Greoffrey grandmamma's. It must be great fun to see them." " Happy people !" said Mrs. Langford. " Henrietta says," proceeded Fred, " that there is a house to be let at Knight Sutton." " The Pleasance ; yes, I know it well," said his mother : "it is not actually in the parish, but close to the borders, and a very pretty place." Henrietta's avisii. 11 "With a pretty little stream in tlie garden, Fred," said Henrietta, "and looking into that beautiful Sussex coom, that there is a drawing of in mamma's room." " What size is it ?" added Fred. " The comparative degree," said IMrs. -Langford, " but my acquaintance with it does not extend be- yond the recollection of a pretty -looking drawing- room with French windows, and a lawn where I used to be allowed to run about when I went with grandmamma Laugford to call on the old Miss Drakes. I wonder your uncle Eoger does not take it, for those boys can scarcely, I shoidd think, be wedged into Sutton Leigh when they are all at home." " I wish some one else would take it," said Fred. " Some one," added Henrietta, "who would like it of all things, and be quite at home there." " A person," proceeded the boy, " who likes Knight Sutton and its inhabitants better than any- thing else." " Only think," joined in the young lady, " how delightful it would be. I can just fancy you, mamma, sitting out on this lawTi you talk of, on a summer's day, and nursing your pinks and carna- tions, and listening to the nightingales, and Grand- papa and Grandmamma Langford, and Uncle and Aunt Eocjer, and the cousins coming: walkinfj in at any time without ringing at the door ! And how nice to have Queen Bee and Uncle and Aunt Geoffrey all the vacation !" " Without feeling as if we were robbing Knight Sutton," said Mrs. Langford. "Why, we should have you a regular little country maid, Henrietta, riding shaggy ponies, and scrambhng over hedges, as your mamma did before you." " And being as happy as a queen," said Hen- 12 Henrietta's •wish. rietta : " and the poor people, you know them all, don't you, mamma ?" " I know their names, but my generation must have nearly passed away. But I slioiild like you to see old Daniels the earpenter, whom the boys used to work with, and who was so fond of them. And tlie old schoolmistress in her spectacles. How she must be scandalized by the introduction of a noun and verb !" " AVho lias been so cruel ?" asked Fred. " Busy Bee, I suppose." "Yes," said Henrietta, "she teaches away with all her miojht ; but she says she is afraid they will forget it all while she is in London, for tliere is no one to keep it up. Now I could do that nicely. How I should like to be Queen Bee's deputy." "But," said Fred, "how does Beatrice manage to make grandmamma endure such novelties ? I should think she would disdain them more than the old mistress herself." " Queen Bee's is not merely a nominal sove- reignty," said Mrs. Langford. " Besides," said Henrietta, " the new Clerg^Tuan approves of all that sort of thing ; he likes her to teach, and puts her in the way of it." CHAPTER II. From this time fonvarcl everything tended towards Kniglit Sutton: castles in the air, persuasions, casnal words which showed the tnrn of thought of the brother and sister, met their mother every hour. Nor was she, as Henrietta truly said, entirely averse to the change ; she loved to talk of what she still regarded as her home, but the shrinking dread of the pang it must give to retiu'n to the scene of her happiest days, to the burial-place of her husband, to the abode of his parents, had been augmented by the tender over-anxious care of her mother, Mrs. A'^ivian, who had strenuously endeavoured to prevent her from ever taking such a proposal into consideration, and fairly led her at length to believe it was out of the question. A removal would in fact have been impossible during the latter years of Mrs. Vivian's life : but she had now been dead about eighteen months, her daughter had recovered from the first grief of her loss, and there was a general impression throughout the family that now was the time for her to come amongst them again. For herself, the possibility was but beginning to dawn upon her ; just at first she joined in building castles and imagining scenes at Ivnight Sutton, without thinking of theii' being realized, or that it only depended upon her, to find 14 Henrietta's wisn. herself at liome there ; and when Frederick and Henrietta, encouraged by tliis manner of talking, pressed it upon lier, she woidd reply with some vague intention of a return some time or other, but still thinking of it as something far away, and rather to be dreaded than desired. It was chiefly by dint of repetition that it fully entered her mind that it was their real and earnest wish that she slioidd engage to take a lease of the Pleasance, and remove almost inunediately from her present abode ; and from this time it might be perceived that she always shrank from entering on the subject in a manner which gave them little reason to hope. " Yet I think," said Henrietta to her brother one afternoon as they were walking together on the sands; " I think if she once thought it was right, if Uncle Geoffrey w^ould tell her so, or if grandpapa would really tell her that he wished it, I am quite sure that she would resolve upon it." " But why did he not do so long ago ?" said Fred. " 1 because of grandmamma, I suppose," said Henrietta ; " but he really does wish it, and I should not at all wonder if the Busy Bee could put it into his head to do it." " Or if Uncle G-eoffrey Avould advise her," said Fred ; " but it never answers to try to make him propose anything to her. He never will do it ; he always says he is not the Pope, or something to that effect." " If I was not fully convinced that it was right, and the best for all parties, I would not say so much about it," said Henrietta, in a tone rather as if she was preparing for some great sacrifice, instead of domineering over her mother. To domineering, her temptation was certainly great. With all her good sense and ability, Mrs. Henrietta's wish. 15 Langford had seldom been called upon to decide for herself, but had always relied upon her mother for counsel ; and during her long and gradual decline had learnt to depend upon her brother-in-law, ]\Ir. G-eoftrey Langford, for direction in great affairs, and in lesser ones upon lier children. Girls are generally older of their age than boys, and Hen- rietta, a clever girl and her mother's constant com- panion, occupied a position in the family Avhich amounted to something more than prime minister. Some one person must always be leader, and thus she had gradually attained, or had greatness thrust upon her ; for justice requires it to be stated, that she more frequently tried to know her mamma's mmd for her, than to carry her o^vn point, though perhaps to do so always, was more than could be expected of human nature at sixteen. The habit of being called on to settle whether they should use tlie britska or the pony carriage, whetlier satin or silk was best, or this or that book should be or- dered, was, however, sufficient to make her very unwilling to be thwarted in other matters of more importance, especially in one on which were fixed the most ardent hopes of her brother, and the wishes of all the fiimily. Their present abode was, as she often said to herself, not the one best calculated for the holiday sports of a boy of sixteen, yet Frederick ha^Tng been used to nothing else, was very happy, and had tastes formed on their way of life. The twins, as little children had always had the same occupations, Henrietta learning Latin, marbles, and trap-ball, and Frederick playing with dolls and working cross- stitch ; and even now the custom was so far con- tinued, that he gave lessons in Homer and Euclid in return for those which he received in Italian and music. For present amusement there was no rea- son to complain ; the neighbourhood supplied many 16 IIE^^EIETTA'S WISH. beautiful walks, wliile longer expeditions were made Avitli ]\rrs. Laugford in the pony carriage, and sketching, botanizing, and scrambling, were the order of the day. Boating too was a great delight, and had it not been for an occasional fretting re- collection that he coidd not go out sailing TN-ithout his mamma, and that most of his schoolfellows were spendini!: tlieir holiday in a yery different manner, he would have been perfectly happy. Fortunately he had not sufficient acquaintance with the boys in the neighbourhood for the contrast to be often brought before him. Henrietta did not do much to reconcile him to the anxious care with which he was guarded. She was proud of his talents, of his accomplishments, of his handsome features, and she would willingly have been proud of his excellence in manly sports, but in lieu of this she was proud of the spirit which made him long for them, and encouraged it by her full and entire sympathy. The belief that the pre- sent restraints must be diminished at Knight Sut- ton, was a moving spring with her, as much as her own wish for the scenes round which imagination had thrown such a brilliant halo. Of society they had hitherto seen little or nothing, Mrs. Langford's health and spirits had never been equal to visiting, nor was there much to tempt her in the changing inhabitants of a watering-place. Now and then, perhaps, an old acquaintance or distant connexion of some part of the family came for a month or six weeks, and a few calls were exchanged, and it was one of these visits that led to the following con- versation. " By the by, mamma," said Fred, " I meant to ask you what that foolish woman meant about the St.Legers, and their not ha\dng thoroughly approved of Aunt GreoiFrey's marriage." " About tlie most ill-placed thing she could have henkietta's wish. 17 said, Freddy," replied Mrs. Laugford, " consider- ing that I was always accused of having made the match." " Made the match ! tell us, mamma ; tell" us all about it. Did you really ?" " Not consciously, Fred, and Frank St. Leger deserves quite as much of the credit as I do." " Who was he ? a brother of Aunt Greoflrey's ?" " yes, Fred," said Henrietta, " to be sure you knew that. You have heard how mamma came home from India with Greneral St. Leirer and his little boy and girl. But by the by, mamma, what became of their mother ?" " Lady Beatrice ? She died in India just before we came home. AVell, I used to stay with them after we came back to England, and of course talked to my friend — " " Call her Beatrice, mamma, and make a storv of it." " I talked to her about my Knight Sutton home, and cousins, and on the other hand, then, Frank was always telling her about his school friend G-eoffrey Langford. At last Frank brought him home with him from Oxford one Easter vacation. It was when the Greneral was in command at , and Beatrice was in the midst of all sorts of gaieties, the mistress of the house, entertaining everybody, and all exactly what a novel would call brilliant." " Were you there, mamma ?" " Yes, Beatrice had made a point of our coming to stay with her, and very droll it was to see how she and Gleoffrey were sui'prised at each other ; she to find her brother's guide, philosopher, and friend, the Langford who had gained every prize, a boyish- looking, boyish-mannered youth, very shy at first, and afterwards, excellent at giggling and making giggle ; and he to find one with the exterior of a fine gay lady, so really simple in tastes and habits." c 18 uenrietta's wish. ""Was Amit Geoffrey ever pretty ?" asked Fred. " She is just what she was then, a little brown thiiii;- with no actual beauty but in her animation and in her expression. I never saw a really hand- some person v.ho seemed to me nearly as charming. Then she had, and indeed has noAV, so much air and grace, so much of what, for want of a better word, I must call fashion in her appearance, that she was always very striking." " Yes," said Henrietta, " I can quite see that, it is not gracefulness, and it is not beauty, nor is it what she ever thinks of, but there is something chstinguished about her. I should look twice at her if I met her in the street, and expect to see her get into a carriage with a coronet. And then and there they fell in love, did they ?" " In long morning expeditious with the ostensible purpose of sketching, but in which I had all the di'awing to myself, while the others talked either wondrous \\dsely or wondrous drolly. However, you must not suppose that anytliing of the novel kind was said then ; Geoffrey was only twenty, and Beatrice seemed as much out of his reach as the kind's daughter of Hongarie." "O yes, of course," said Henrietta, " but that only makes it more delightful ! Only to think of Uncle and Aunt Geoffrey having a novel in their history." " That there are better novels in real life than in stories, is a trutli or a truism often repeated, Heni'ietta," said her mother with a soft sigh, which she repressed in an instant, and proceeded : " Poor Frank's illness and death at Oxford brought them together the next year in a very different manner. Geoffrey was one of his chief nurses to the last, and was a great comfort to them all ; joii may suppose how grateful they were to him. Xext time I saw him, he seemed quite to have buried his youthful spirits in his studies : he was read- Henrietta's wish. 19 ing morn, noon, and nigbt, and looking ill and overworked." " 0, Uncle Greoffrey ! dear good Uncle Greoffrey," cried Henrietta, in an ecstasy ; " you were as de- liglitful as a knight of old, only as you could not fight tournaments for her, you were obliged to read for her ; and pining away all the time and sa}'ing nothing about it." " Nothing beyond a demure inquiry of me when we were alone together, after the health of the General. Well, you know how well his reading succeeded; he took a double first class, and very proud of him we were." " And still he saw nothing of her," said Fred. " Not till some time after he had been settled in his chambers at the Temple. Now you must know that Greneral St. Leger, tliough in most matters a wise man, was not by any means so in money mat- ters : and by some unlucky speculation which was to have doubled his daughter's fortune, managed to lose the whole of it, lea^dng little but his pay." "Capital!" cried Frederick, "that brings her down to him." " So it did," said his mother, smiling ; " but the spectators did not rejoice quite so heartily as you do. The general's health Avas faihng, and it was hard to think what would become of Beatrice ; for Lord St. Leger's family, though very kind, were not more congenial then than they are now. As soon as all this was pretty well known, Greoffrey spoke, and the general, who was very fond of him, gave full consent. They meant to wait till it was prudent, of coiu'se, and were well contented ; but just after it was all settled, the general had a sudden seizure, and died. Greoffrey was with him, and he treated him like a son, saying it was liis great comfort to know that her happiness was in his hands. Poor Beatrice, she went first to the St. c2 20 HEIfEIETTA's WISH. Legers, stayed with them two or three mouths, then I woukl have her to be my bridesmaid, though" — aud j\[rs. Laugford tried to smile, wliile agaiu slie straugled a sobbiug sigh — " she warned me that her mouruing was a bad omen. Well, she stayed with my mother while we weut abroad, and ou our return went witli us to be introduced at Knight Sutton. Everybody was charmed, Mrs. Laugford and Aunt Roger had expected a fine lady, or a blue one, but they soon learnt to believe all her gaiety and all her cleverness a mere calumny, and grandpapa was delighted with her the first moment. How well I remember Greoflrey's coming home and thanking us for ha^dng managed so well as to make her like one of the family, A\hile the truth was that she had fitted herself in, and found her place from the first moment. Now came a time of grave private conferences. A long engagement, which might have been very well if the general had lived, was a dreary prospect now that Beatrice was Avithout a home ; but then your uncle was but just called to the bar, and had next to nothing of his own, present or to come. However, he had begun his literary works, and foimd them answer so well, that he believed he could maintain himself till briefs came in, and he had the sort of talent which gives confidence. He thought, too, that even in the event of his death she would be better oflf as one of us, than as dependent on the St. Legers ; and at last by talking to us, he nearly persuaded himself to beheve it would be a very prudent thing to marry. It was a harder matter to persuade his father, but persuade him he did, and the wedding was at Knight Sutton that very summer." " That's right," cried Ered, " excellent and glorious ! A farthing for all the St. Legers put together." " JN^evertheless, Ered, in spite of your disdain, heneietta's wi3n. 21 we were all of opinion that it was matter of rejoic- ing that Lord St. Leger and Lady Amelia were present, so that no one had any reason to say that they disapproved. Moreover, lest you should learn imprudence from my story, I would also suggest tliat if your uncle and aunt had not been a couple comme il-y-en a peu, it would neither have been ex- cellent nor glorious." " Why, they are very well off," said Fred ; " he is quite at the head of his profession. The first thing a fellow asks me when he hears my name is, if I belong to Langford the barrister." "Yes, but he never would have been eminent, scarcely have had daily bread, if he had not worked fearfLilly hard, so hard that without the buoyant school-boy spirit, which can turn from the liardest toil like a child to its play, his health could never have stood it." " But then it has been success and triumph," said Fred ; " one could work like a galley-slave with en- couragement, and never feel it drudgery." " It was not all success at first," said his mother; " there was hard work, and disappointment, and heavy sorrow too : but they knew how to bear it, and to win through with it," " And were they very poor ?" asked Hein^ietta. " Yes : but it was beautiful to see how she ac- commodated herself to it. The house that once looked dingy and desolate, was very soon pretty and cheerful, and the ivirtschaft so well ordered and economical, that Aunt Hoger 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 ' look- ing so bright and like herself, and how little she guessed at her morning's work, the study of shiii; making, and the copying out a re^iiew of her hus- band's, full of Greek quotations." 22 heneietta's wish. " Well, the poverty is all over now," said Hen- rietta ; " but still they live in a very quiet way, considering Aunt Greoffrey's connexions and the fortune he lias made." " AVho put that notion into your head, my wise dauf^hter ?" 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 course of 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 Ejiight Sutton," said Henrietta, "the school, and all that grand- papa A\dshed but could never afford. Well, mamma, if you made the match, you deserve to be congra- tulated on your work." " There is 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 coun- tenance which made her unwilling to disturb her, and nothing more was said till it was discovered that it was bed time. CHAPTEE III. " WuERE is Madame ?" asked Frederick of his sister, as she entered tlie breakfast room alone the next morning with the key of the tea-chest in her hand. "A headache," answered Henrietta, " and a pal- pitation !" « 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 con- versation 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 uic^ht, and this morning has 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 do\Mi to-day." 24 Henrietta's wish. " And do you think it was talking of Uncle and Aunt Geoffrey tlmt brought it on ?" said Ered, 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 everj^- thing. 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 Gi-eoffrcy 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, mth a sigh. "After all, we can be very happy here !" " 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 fra- tricide ; but the observation, being intended to con- ceal certain feelings of disappointment and heroism, only led to silence. iienrietta's wish. 25 After sleeping for some hours, Mrs. Langford awoke refreshed, and got up, but did not leave her room. Erederick and Henrietta went to take a walk by her desire, as she declared that she pre- ferred being alone, and on their return they found lier lying on the sofa. " Mamma lias been in mischief," said Fred. " She did not think herself knocked up enough already, so she has been doing it more thoroughly." "Oh, mamma!" was Henrietta's reproachful exclamation, as she looked at her pale face and red swollen eyelids. " jS'ever mind, my dears," said she, trjdng to smile, " I shall be better now this is done, and I have it off" my mind." They looked at her in anxious interrogation, and she smiled outright ^vith lip and eye. " You will seal that letter with a good will, Henrietta," she said. "It is to ask Uncle G-eoffi'ey to make inquiries about the Pleasance." " Mamma ! " and they stood transfixed at a de- cision beyond their hopes : then Henrietta ex- claimed — " No, no, mamma ; it wiH be too much for you ; you must not think of it." " Yes," said Fred ; " indeed Ave agreed this morn- ing that it would be better not. Put it out of your head, mamma, and go on here in peace and comfort. I am sure it suits you best." " Thank you, thank you, my dear ones," said she, drawing them towards her, and fondly kissing them, " but it is all settled, and I am sure it is better for you. It is but a dull life for you here." " no, no, no, dearest mamma : nothing can be dull AA-itli you," cried Henrietta, wishing most sin- cerely to undo her own work. " AYe are, indeed we are, as happy as the day is long. Do not fancy we are discontented ; do not think we want a change." 26 heneietta's wish. Mrs. Langford replied by an arch though subdued smile. " But we Mould not have you to do it on our ac- count," said Fred. " Pray put it out of your head, for we do very well here, and it was only a passing fancy." " You will not talk me out of it, my dears," said Mrs. Langford. " I know it is right, and it shall be done. It is only the making up my mind that was the struggle, and I shall look forward to it as much as either of you, when I know it is to be done. Now walk off, my dears, and do not let that letter be too late for the post." " I do not half like it," said Fred, pausing at the door. "I have not many fears on that score," said she, smiling. " No, do not be uneasy about me, my dear Fred, it is my proper place, and I must be happy there. I shall lili:e to be near the Hall, and to see all the dear old places again." " Oh, mamma, you cannot talk about them with- out your voice quivering," said Henrietta. " Tou do not know how I wish you would give it up ! " " Grive it up ! I would not for millions," said IMrs. Langford. " Now go, my dears, and perhaps I shall go to sleep again." The spirits of the brother and sister did not just at first rise enough for rejoicing over the decision. Hemnetta would willingly have kept back the letter, but this she could not do ; and sealing it as if she were doing MTong, she sat down to dinner, feehng subdued and remorseful, something like a t}Tant between the condemnation and execution of his victim. But by the time the first coiu'se was over, and she and Frederick had begun to recollect their long-cherished wishes, they made up their minds to be happy, and fell into their usual strain of admiration of the unknown haven of their hopes, HENEIETTA's AVISII. 27 and of expectations that it would in the end benefit their mother. The next morning she was quite in lier nsual spirits, and affiiirs proceeded in the usual manner ; Frederick's holidays came to an end, and he re- turned to school with many a fond lanientation from the mother and sister, but with cheerful auguries from both that the next meeting might be at Knight Sutton. " Here, Hem-ietta," said her mother, as they sat at breakfast together a day or two after Frederick's departure, turning over to her the letter of which she had first broken the seal, while she proceeded to open some others. It was Uncle Greoflrey's writing, and Henrietta read eagerly : — " My dear Mary, — I would not write till I could give you some positive information about the Pleasance, and that could not be done without a conference with Hardy, who was not at home. I am heartily glad that you think of coming among us again, but still I should like to feel certain that it is you that feel equal to it, and not the young ones who are set upon the plan. I suppose you will indignantly refute the charge, but you know I have never trusted you in that matter. HoAvever, we are too much the gainers to investigate motives closely, and I cannot but believe that tlie effort once over, you would find it a great comfort to be among your own people, and in your own countr}^ I fully agree with you also in A\hat you say of the advantage to Henrietta and Fred. My father is going to write, and I must leave him to do justice to his own cordiality, and proceed to business." Th^n came the particulars of freehold and copy- hold, purchase or lease, repair or disrepair, of which Henrietta knew nothing, and cared less ; she knew that her mamma was considered a gi'eat heiress, and 28 iiexrietta's wish. trusted to her wealth for putting all she pleased iu her power : but it was rather alarming to recollect that Uncle Geoffrey would consider it riglit to make the best terms he could, and that tlie house might be lost to them while tliey were bargaining for it. • " O mamma, never mind what he says about it's being dear," said slie, " I dare say it wiU not ruin us." " Not exactly," said Mrs. Langford smiling, " but gentlemen consider it a disgrace not to make a good bargain, and Uncle Greoffrey must be allowed to have his own way." " but, mamma, suppose some one else should take it." " A village house is not like these summer lodg- ings, which are snapped up before you can look at them," said Mrs. Langford ; " I have no fears but that it is to be had." But Henrietta could not help fancying that her mother would regard it somewhat as a reprieve, if the bargain was to go off independently of any determination of hers. Still she had made up her mind to look cheerfully at the scheme, and often talked of it with pleasure, to which the cordial and affectionate letters of her father-in-law and the rest of the family, conduced not a little. She now fully perceived that it had only been from forbearance, that they had not before urged her return, and as she saw how ear- nestly it was desired by Mr. and Mrs. Langford, reproached herself as for a weakness for not having sooner resolved upon her present step. Heni'ietta's work was rather to keep up her spirits at the pros- pect, than to prevent her from changing her pur- pose, which never altered, respecting a return to the neighbourhood of Knight Sutton, though whether to the house of the tempting name, was a question which remained in agitation during the rest of the autumn, for as surely as Rome was not henkietta's wish. 29 built in a day, so surely cannot a house be bought or sold ill a day, especially when a clever and cau- tious lawyer acts for one party. Matters thus dragged on, till the space before the Christinas holidays was reckoned by weeks, instead of months, and as Mrs. Frederick. Langford laughingly said, she should be fairly ashamed to meet her boy again at their present liome. She there- fore easily allowed herself to be persuaded to accept Mr. Langford's invitation to take up her quarters at the Hall, and look about her a little before finally deciding upon the Pleasance. Christmas at Knight Sutton Hall had the greatest charms in the eyes of Henrietta and Frederick ; for many a time had tliey listened to the descriptions given con amore by Beatrice Langford, to whom that place had ever been a home, perhaps the more beloved, because the other half of her hfe was sj^ent in London. It was a great disappointment, however, to hei;hing, upper housemaid. How she was loved heneietta's wish. 49 and respected is known to all who are happy enough to possess a " Judith." " I beg your pardon, miss," said slie, as Hen- rietta opened the door just before her, and Mrs. Frederick Laugford, on hearing her voice, called out, " Judith ! is that you ? I was in hopes you were coming to see me." She advanced Avith a courtesy, at the same time aftectionately taking the thin white hand stretched out to her. " I hope you are better, ma'am. It is something like old times to have you here again." "Indeed I am very glad to be here, Judith," was the answer, " and very glad to see you looking like your own dear self." " Ah ! Miss Mary ; I beg your pardon, ma'am ; I wish I could see you looking better." " I shall, I hope, to-morrow, thank you, Judith. But you have not been introduced to Hem^ietta, there." " But I have often heard of you, Judith," said Henrietta, cordially holding out her hand. Judith took it, and looked at her with affectionate earnest- ness. " Siu-e enough, miss," said she, "as Missus says, you are the very picture of your mamma when she went away ; but I think I see a look of poor Master Frederick too." "Have you seen my brother, Judith?" asked Henrietta, fearing a second discussion on like- nesses. " Yes, Miss Henrietta ; I was coming down from Missus's room, when Mr. Greoffrey stopped me to ask liow I did, and he said, ' Here's a new acquaint- ance for you, Judith,' and there was ^Master Frede- rick. I should have known him anywhere, and he spoke so cheerful and pleasant. A fine young gentleman he is, to be sure." "Why, we must be like your grandcliildren !" said Henrietta; "but ! liere comes Fred." 50 uexrietta's wish. And Judith discreetly retreated as Fred entered bearing a summons to bis sister to come do^NTi to tea, saying that be could scarcely prevail on gi'andmamma to let hiin take the message instead of coming herself. They found Queen Bee perched upon the arm of her grandpapa's chair, with one hand holding by his collar. She bad been coaxing him to say Hen- rietta was the prettiest girl he ever saw, and he was teazing her by declaring he should never see any- thing like Aunt Mary in her girlish days. Then he called up Heurietta and Ered, and asked them about their home doings, showing so distinct a knowledge of them, tliat they laughed and stood amazed. *' Ah," said grandpapa, " you forgot that I had a Queen Bee to enlighten me. AVe have plenty to tell each other, when we go buzzing over the ploughed fields together on a simny morning, haven't we, Busy, Busy Bee?" Here grandmamma summoned them all to tea. She liked every one to sit round the table, and put away work and book, as for a regular meal, and it was rather a long one. Then, when all was over, grandpapa called out, " Come, young ladies, I've been wearying for a tune these three months. I hope you are not too tired to give us one." "O no, no, grandpapa !" cried Beatrice: "but you must hear Henrietta. It is a great shame of her to play so much better than I do, with all my London masters too." And in music the greater part of the evening passed away. Beatrice came to her aunt's room to wish her good night, and to hear Heiu-ietta's opinions, which were of great delight and still greater wonder — grandmamma so excessively kind, and grandpapa, O, he was a grandpapa to be proud of! CIIAPTEE y. It was an agreeable surprise to Henrietta that her motlier waked free from headache, very clieerful, and feeling quite able to get up to breakfast. The room looked very bright and pleasant by the first morning light that shone upon the intricate frost- work on tlie Avindow ; and Henrietta, as usual, was too much lost in gazing at the branches of the elms and the last year's rooks' nests, to make the most of her time ; so that the bell for prayers rang long before she was ready. Her mamma would not leave her, and remained to help her. Just as they were going down at last, they met Mrs. Langford on her way up with inquiries for poor Mary. She would liave almost been better pleased with a slight indisposition than with daA\'dling ; but she kindly accepted Henrietta's apologies, and there was one exclamation of joy from all the assembled party at Mrs. Frederick Langford' s unhoped-for entrance, " Greoflrey, my dear," began Mrs. Langford, as soon as the greetings and congratulations were over, "will you see what is tlie matter with the loclv of this tea-chest ? — it has been out of order these tinx'c weeks, and I thought you could set it to rights." AVhile L^ncle Geoffrey was pronouncing on its complaints, Atkins, the old servant, put in his head. E 2 52 Henrietta's wish. " It" you please, sir, Thomas Parker would be glad to speak to Mr. Greoftrey about Lis son ou the railway." Away went Mr. Geoffrey to the lower regions, where Thomas Parker awaited liim, and as soon as he returned was addressed by his father : " Geoffrey, I put those papers on the table in the study, if you will look over them when you have time, and tell me what you think of tliat turnpike trust." A few moments after the door was thrown wide open, and in burst three boys, shouting with one voice — " Uncle Geoffrey, Uncle Geoffrey, you must come and see which of A^ixen's puppies are to be saved!" "Hush, hush, you rogues, hush !" was Uncle Geoffrey's answer ; " don't you know that you are come into civiKzed society ? Aunt IMary never saw such wild men of the woods." " All crazy at the sight of Uncle Geoffrey," said grandmamma. " Ah, he spoils you all ; but, come here, Johnny, come and speak to your aunt. There, this is Johnny, and here are Richard and AVillie," she added, as they came up and awkwardly gave their hands to their aunt and cousins. Hein-ietta was almost bewildered by seeing so many likenesses of Alexander. " How shall I ever know them apart ?" said she to Beatrice. " Like grandmamma's nest of teacups, all alike, only each one size below another," said Beatrice. " However, I don't require you to learn them all at once ; only to know Alex and A\^illie from the rest. Here, Willie, have you nothing to say to me ? How are the rabbits ?" Willie, a nice looking boy of nine or ten years old, of rather lighter make than his brothers, and with darker eyes and hair, came to Queen, Bee's side, as if he was very glad to see her, only slightly discomposed by Henrietta's neighbourliood. HEIfEIETTA's WISH. 53 John gave the information that papa and Alex were just behind, and in another minute they made their appearance. " Good morning, sir ; good morn- ing, ma'am," were Uncle Eogcr's greetings, as he came in. " Ah, Marv, how d'ye do ? glad to see you here at last ; hope you are better.— rAh, good morning, good morning," as he quickly shook hands with tlie younger ones. " Good morning, Geoffrey ; I told Martin to take the new drill into the out- field, for I want your opinion whetlier it is worth keeping." And thereupon the three gentlemen began a learned discussion on drills, during which Henrietta studied her uncle. She was at first surprised to see him look so young — younger, she thought, than Uncle Geofii'ey ; but in a moment or two she changed her mind, for though mental labour had thinned and grizzled Uncle Geoff'rey's hair, paled his cheek, and traced lines of thought on his broad high brow, it had not quenched tlie light that beamed in his eyes, or subdued the joyous merriment that often played over his countenance, according with the slender active figure that might have belonged to a mere boy. Uncle Roger Avas taller, and much more robust and broad ; his hair still untouched with grey, his face ruddy brown, and his features full of good nature, but rather heavy. In his plaid shoot- ing coat and high gaiters, as he stood by the fire, he looked the model of a country squire ; but there was an indescribable family likeness, and something of the same form about the nose and lip, which recalled to Henrietta the face she loved so well in Uncle Geoftrey. The drill discussion was not concluded when Mrs. Langford gave the signal for the ladies to leave the breakfast table. Henrietta ran up stairs for her mother's work, and came down again laughing. "I am sure, Queenie," said she, " that your papa 54 Henrietta's wish. chose his trade riglitly. He may well be called a great counsel. Besides all the opinions asked of liim at breakfast, I have just conic across a con- sultation on the stairs between him and Judith about — what was it ? — some money in a savings' bank." " Yes," said Beatrice, " Judith has saved a sum that is wondrous in these degenerate days of maids in silk gowns, and she is wise enough to giA'e ' Master Geoffrey ' all the management of it. But if you are surprised now, ^^'hat will you be by t]ie end of tlie day ? See if his advice is not asked in at least fifty matters." "I'll count," said Henrietta: " Avhat have we had abeady ?" and she took out pencil and paper — " dumber one, the tea-chest ; then the poor man, and the turnpike trust — " " A^ixen's puppies and the drill," suggested her mamma. " And Judith's money," added Henrietta. " Six already" — "To say nothing of all that will come by the post, and we shall not hear of," said Beatrice ; " and look here, what I am going to seal for him, one, two, three — eight letters." " "Why ! when could he possibly have written them?" "Last night after we were gone to bed. It shows how much more grandmamma will let him do than anyone else, that she can allow him to sit up with a candle after eleven o'clock. I really believe that there is not another living creature in the world who could do it in this house. There, you may add your own affairs to the list, Heni'ietta, for he is going to the Pleasance to meet some man of brick and mortar." " O, I \^-ish we could walk there !" " I dare say we can. I'll manage. Aunt Mary, Henrietta's wish. 55 should you not like Henrietta to go and see tlie Pleasance r" " Almost as mucli as Henrietta would like it herself, Busy Bee," said Aunt Mary; " but I think she should walk to Sutton Leigh to-day." "AYalk to Sutton Leigh!" echoed .old Mrs. Langford, entering at the moment ; " not you, surely, Mary ?" " O no, no, grandmamma," said Beatrice, laugh- ing ; " she was only talking of Hem^ietta's doing it." " "Well, and so do, my dears ; it will be a very nice thing, if you go this morning before the frost goes off. Your Aunt Roger will like to see you, and you may take the little pot of black currant jelly that I wanted to send over for poor Tom's sore mouth." Beatrice looked at Henrietta and made a face of disgust as she asked, " Have they no currant jelly themselves ?" " no, they never can keep anything in the garden. I don't mean that the boys take the fruit ; but between tarts and puddiug.s and desserts, poor Elizabeth can never make any preserves." "But," objected Queen Bee, " if one of the children is ill, do you think Aunt Hoger will like to have us this morning ? and the post girl could tal^e the jelly." " O nonsense. Bee," said Mrs. Langford, some- what angrily ; " you don't like to do it, I see plain enough. It is very hard you can't be as good- natured to your o\sTi little cousin as to one of the children in the village." " Indeed, grandmamma, I did not mean that." " O no, no, grandmamma," joined in Henrietta, "we shall be very glad to take it. Pray let us." " Yes," added Beatrice ; " if it is really to be of any use, no one can be more willing." 56 heiieietta's wish. " Of any use ?" repeated Mrs. Langford. " No ! never mind. I'll send some one." " No, pray do not, dear grandmamma," eagerly exclaimed Henrietta. " I do beg you will let us take it. It -will be making me at home directly to let me be useful." Grandmamma was pacified. " "\Ylien will you set out ?" she asked, " you had better not lose this bright morning." " "We will go directly," said Queen Bee ; " we will go by the west turning, so that Henrietta may see the Pleasance." " My dear ! the west turning will be a swamp, and I won't have you getting wet in your feet and catchmg cold." " O, we have clogs : and besides, the road does not get so dirty since it has been mended. I asked Johnny this morning." " As if he knew, or cared anything about it ! — and you will be late for luncheon. Besides grand- papa will di'ive your aunt there the first day she feels equal to it, and Henrietta may see it then. But you will always have your own way." Henrietta had seldom been more uncomfortable than during this altercation ; and but for reluc- tance to appear more obliging than her cousin, she would have begged to give up the scheme. Her mother would have interfered in another mo- ment, but the entrance of Uncle G-eoffrey gave a sudden turn to aifairs. " A¥ho likes to go to the Pleasance ?" said he, as he entered. " All whose curiosity lies that way may prepare their seven-leagued boots." " Here are the girls dying to go," said Mrs. Langford, as well pleased as if she had not been objecting the minute before. " Very well. We go by Sutton Leigh : so make haste, maidens." Then, turning to his mother, heneietta's wish. 57 " Didn't I hcfir you say you had something to send to Elizabeth, ma'am ?" " Only some currant ielly for little Tom ; but if—" " grandmamma, that is my charge ; pray don't cheat me," exclaimed Henrietta. " If you will lend me a basket, it will trayel much better with me than in Uncle GreofFrey'a pocket." " Ay, that will be the proper division of labour," said Uncle Greoifrey, looking well pleased Avith his niece ; " but I thought you were off to get ready." " Don't keep your uncle waiting, my dear," added her mamma ; and Henrietta departed, Beatrice fol- lowing her to her room, and there exclaiming, " If there is a thing I can't endure, it is going to JSutton Leigh when one of the children is poorly ! It is always bad enough — " " Bad enough ! O Busy Bee !" cried Henrietta, quite unprepared to hear of any flaw in her paradise. " You will soon see what I mean. The host of boys in the way ; the wooden bricks and black horses spotted with white wafers that you break your shins oyer, the marbles that roll away under your feet, the whips that crack in your ears, the universal air of nursery that pervades the house. It is worse in the morning, too ; for one is always whining over sum, es, est, and another over his spelling. O, if I had eleven brothers in a small house I should soon turn misanthrope. But you are laughing instead of getting ready." " So are you." " My things wiU be on in a quarter of the time you take. I'U tell you what, Henrietta, the Queen Bee allows no drones, and I shall teach you to ' improve each shining hour ;' for nothing will get you into such dire disgrace here as to be always behind time. Besides, it is a great shame to waste 58 nElJTRIETTA's WISH. papa's time. Now, here is your shawl ready folded, and now I will trust you to put on your boots aud bonnet by yourself." In five minutes the Queen Bee flew back again, and found Henrietta still measuring the length of her bonnet strings before the glass. She hunted her down stairs at last, and found the two uncles and gi'and])apa at the door, playing with the various dogs, small aud great, that usually waited there. Fred and the other boys had gone out together some time since, and the party now set forth, the three gentlemen walking together first. Henrietta turned as soon as she had gone a sufficient distance that she might study the aspect of the house. It did not quite fulfil her expectations ; it was neither remarkable for age nor beauty ; the masonry was in a sort of chessboard pattern, alternate squares of freestone and of flints, the windows were not casements as she thought they ought to have been, and the long wing, or rather excrescence, which con- tained the drawing-room, was by no means orna- mental. It was a respectable, comfortable mansion, and that was all that was to be said in its praise, and Beatrice's affection had so embellished it in description, that it was no wonder that Henrietta felt slightly disappointed. She had had some ex- pectation, too, of seeing it in the midst of a park, instead of which the carriage-drive along which they were walking, only skirted a rather large grass field, full of elm trees, and kno^^ii by the less dignified name of the paddock. But she would not confess the failure of her expectations even to herself, and as Beatrice was evidently looking for some expres- sions of admiration, she said the road must be very pretty in summer. " Especially when this bank is one forest of fox- gloves," said Queen Bee. "Only think! Uncle Koger and the farmer faction wanted grandpapa to heneietta's "wisu. 59 have this hedge row ginibbed up, and turned into a plain dead fence ; but I carried tlie day, and I dare say Aunt ]Mary will be as much obliged to me as the boys who would have lost their grand preserve of stoats and rabbits. But here are the outfield and the drill." And going through a small gate at the corner of the paddock, they entered a large ploughed field, traversed by a footpath raised and gravelled, so as to be high and dry, which was well for the two girls, as the gentlemen left them to march up and down there by themselves, whilst they were discussing the merits of the brilliant blue nmchine which was tra\'elliug along the furrows. It was rather a trial of patience, but Beatrice was used to it, and Hen- rietta was in a temper to be pleased with anything. At last the inspection "vvas concluded, and Mr. Langford came to his granddaughters, leaving his two sons to finish their last words with Martin. " Well, young ladies !" said he, " this is fine diall- ing, in patience at least. I only wish my wheat may be as well drilled with Uncle Eoger's new- fangled machines." "That is right, grandpapa," said Queen Bee; " you hate them as much as I do, don't you now ?" " She is afraid they will make honey by steam," said grandpapa, " and render bees a work of su- pererogation." " They are doing what they can towards it," said Beatrice. " AVhy, when Mr. Carey took us to see his hives, I declare I had quite a fellow feel- ing for my poor subjects, boxed up in glass, with all their privacy destroyed. And they won't even let them swarm their own way — a most unwarrant- able interference with the liberty of the subject." "Well done, Queenie," said Mr. Langford, laughing ; " a capital champion. And so you don't look forward to the time when we are to have our 60 Henrietta's wish. hay made by one machine, our sheep washed by another, our turkeys crammed by a third — ay, and even the trouble of bird-starving saved us?" "Bird-starving!" repeated Henrietta. " Yes ; or keeping a few birds, according to the mother's elegant diminutive," said Beatrice, " serv- ing as live scarecrows." " I should have thought a scarecrow would have answered the purpose," said Henrietta. " This is one that is full of gunpowder, and fires off every ten minutes," said grandpapa; "but I told Uncle Eoger we woidd have none of them here unless he was prepared to see one of his boys blown up at every third explosion." " Is IJncle Eoger so very fond of machines ?" said Henrietta. " He goes about to cattle shows and agricul- tural meetings, and comes home with his pockets crammed with papers of new inventions, which I leave him to try as long as he does not empty my pockets too fast." " Don't they succeed, then ?" said Henrietta. " Why — ay — I must confess we get decent crops enough. And once we achieved a prize ox, — such a disgusting overgrown beast, that I could not bear the sight of it ; and told Uncle Koger I would have no more such waste of good victuals, puffing up the ox instead of the frog." Henrietta was not quite certain whether all this was meant in jest or earnest ; and perhaps the truth was, that though grandpapa had little liking for new plans, he Avas too wise not to adopt those which possessed manifest advantage, and only in- dulged himself in a good deal of playful grumbling, which greatly teased Uncle E-oger. "There is Sutton Leigh," said grandpapa, as they came in sight of a low white house among farm buildings. " Well, Henrietta, are you pre- HENEIEtTA'S WISH. 61 pared for an introduction to an aunt and liall-a- dozen cousins, and Jessie Carey into the bargain?" " Jessie Carey !" exclaimed Beatrice, in a tone of dismay. " Did you not Ivnow slie was there ? Why they always send Carey over for lier with tlie gig if tliere is but a tooth-ache the matter at Sutton Leigh." "Is she one of Aunt Roger's nieces?" asked Heni'ietta. "Yes," said Beatrice. "And — 0! grandpapa, don't look at me in that way. "Where is the use of being your pet, if I may not tell my mind ?" "1 won't have Henrietta prejudiced,*' said Mr.. Langford. " Don't listen to her, my dear : and I'll tell you wliat Jessie Carey is. She is an honest, good natured girl as ever lived; always ready to help every one, never thinking of trouble, witliout an atom of sellishness." " Now for the but, grandpapa," cried Beatrice. " I allow all that, only grant me the but.'''' " But Queen Bee, chancing to be a conceited lit- tle Londoner, looks down on us poor coimtry folks as inifit for her most refined and intellectual society." " grandpapa, that is not fair ! Indeed, you don't really believe that. 0, say you don't !" And Beatrice's black eyes were full of tears. " If I do not believe the whole, you believe the half. Miss Bee," and he added, half wliispering, " take care some of us do not believe the other half But don't look dismal on the matter, only put it into one of yoiu* waxen cells, and don't lose sight of it. And if it is any comfort to you, I vvill allow that perhaps poor Jessie is not the most en- tertaining companion for you. Her vanity maggots are not of the same sort as yours." They had by this time nearly reached Sutton Leigli, a building little altered from the farm house it had originally been, vrith a small garden in front, 62 Henrietta's wish. and a narrow footpath up to the door. As soon as they came in s