She found with her nobody but Mr Morrice, who was the only young man that could persuade himself to endure her company in the absence of her husband, but who, in common with most young men who are assiduous in their attendance upon old ladies, doubted not but he ensured himself a handsome legacy for his trouble. Almost the first speech which her ladyship made, was “So you are not married yet, I find; if Mr Monckton had been a real friend, he would have taken care to have seen for some establishment for you.” “I was by no means,” cried Cecilia, with spirit, “either in so much haste or distress as to require from Mr Monckton any such exertion of his friendship.” “Ma'am,” cried Morrice, “what a terrible night we had of it at Vauxhall! poor Harrel! I was really excessively sorry for him. I had not courage to see you or Mrs Harrel after it. But as soon as I heard you were in St James's-square, I tried to wait upon you; for really going to Mr Harrel's again would have been quite too dismal. I would rather have run a mile by the side of a race-horse.” “There is no occasion for any apology,” said Cecilia, “for I was very little disposed either to see or think of visitors.” “So I thought, ma'am;” answered he, with quickness, “and really that made me the less alert in finding you out. However, ma'am, next winter I shall be excessively happy to make up for the deficiency; besides, I shall be much obliged to you to introduce me to Mr Delvile, for I have a great desire to be acquainted with him.” Mr Delvile, thought Cecilia, would be but too proud to hear it! However, she merely answered that she had no present prospect of spending any time at Mr. Delvile's next winter. “True, ma'am, true,” cried he, “now I recollect, you become your own mistress between this and then; and so I suppose you will naturally chuse a house of your own, which will be much more eligible.” “I don't think that,” said Lady Margaret, “I never saw anything eligible come of young women's having houses of their own; she will do a much better thing to marry, and have some proper person to take care of her.” “Nothing more right, ma'am!” returned he; “a young lady in a house by herself must be subject to a thousand dangers. What sort of place, ma'am, has Mr Delvile got in the country? I hear he has a good deal of ground there, and a large house.” “It is an old castle, Sir, and situated in a park.” “That must be terribly forlorn; I dare say, ma'am, you were very happy to return into Suffolk.” “I did not find it forlorn; I was very well satisfied with it.” “Why, indeed, upon second thoughts, I don't much wonder; an old castle in a large park must make a very romantic appearance; something noble in it, I dare say.” “Aye,” cried Lady Margaret, “they said you were to become mistress of it, and marry Mr Delvile's son and I cannot, for my own part, see any objection to it.”