Emmeline, the Orphan of the CastleSmith, Charlotte
General
Emmeline, the Orphan of the Castle
Smith, Charlotte
Gothic fiction; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Marriage -- Fiction; Single women -- Fiction
'I mean not, my Lord,' answered Delamere, 'to attempt a concealment of
my sentiments. I love Miss Mowbray; passionately love her; and scorn to
dissimulate. I know you had a design to send her from hence;
clandestinely to send her; and I determined that she should not go 'till
I had declared my attachment to her, which I found you endeavoured
assiduously to prevent. You may certainly remove her from hence; but I
protest to you, that wherever she is, there I will endeavour to see her,
in spite of the universe.'
Lord Montreville now felt all the force of the error he had committed in
that boundless indulgence to which he had accustomed his son. In the
first instance of any consequence in which their wishes differed, he saw
him ready to throw off the restraint of paternal authority, and daring
to avow his resolution to act as he pleased.
This mortifying reflection arose in his mind, while, with a look of
mingled anger and amazement, he beheld Delamere, who having ordered
Millefleur to light his candle, snatched it from him, and hastily
retired.
Emmeline, who had stood trembling the whole time behind Lord
Montreville, besought him to ring up the housekeeper, and direct her to
stay with her for the rest of the night; for she declared she would on
no account remain in her own room alone.
His Lordship recommending her to the care of Fitz-Edward, went himself
in search of the housekeeper; and Emmeline refusing to seek a more
commodious apartment, sat down in one of the windows of the hall to wait
his return.
Fitz-Edward, to whom she had yet hardly spoken, now entertained her with
a profusion of compliments, almost as warm as those she had heard from
Delamere; but her spirits, quite exhausted by the terror which had so
lately possessed them, could no longer support her; she was unable to
give an answer of common civility, and was very glad to see Lord
Montreville return with Mrs. Garnet; who, extremely discomposed at being
disturbed and obliged to appear in her night-cap, followed her,
grumbling, into her room; where, as Emmeline refused to go to it
herself, she took possession of her bed, and soon falling into a
profound sleep, left its melancholy owner to her sad reflections.
She had not been many minutes indulging them, and wishing for the return
of light, before somebody was again at the door. Emmeline still
apprehending Delamere, stepped to it; and was astonished to see Lord
Montreville himself.
He entered the room; and told her, that as his son knew of her journey
in the morning, he would probably try some means to prevent it, or at
least to trace out her abode; that it was therefore absolutely necessary
for her to be ready by day break or before, for which he had prepared
Mr. Headly; who was up, and getting ready to set out as soon as there
was light enough to make it safe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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