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
No remonstrance of her's could prevent his passing every day at the
house, from breakfast 'till a late hour in the evening.
On the last of these days, he was there as usual; and it was past eight
at night, when Emmeline, who had learned to play on the harp, by being
present when Mrs. Ashwood received lessons on that instrument, was
singing to Delamere a little simple air of which he was particularly
fond, and into which she threw so much pathos, that lost in fond
admiration, he 'hung over her, enamoured,' when she was interrupted by
the entrance of a servant, who said that a Lord, but he forgot the name,
was below, and desired to speak with Miss Mowbray.
If Emmeline was alarmed at the sight of Lord Montreville at Swansea,
when she had acted with the strictest attention to his wishes, she had
now much more reason to be so, when she felt herself conscious of having
given encouragement to Delamere, and had reason to fear her motives for
doing so would be misbelieved or misunderstood.
Tho' the servant had forgotten his name, Emmeline doubted not but it was
Lord Montreville; and she had hardly time to think how she should
receive him, before his Lordship (who had impatiently followed the
servant up stairs) entered the room.
Delamere, immovable behind Emmeline's chair, was the first object that
struck him.
He had hoped that her residence was yet unknown to his son; and
surprise, vexation, and anger, were marked in his countenance and
attitude.
'Miss Mowbray!' (advancing towards her) 'is it thus you fulfil the
promise you gave me? And you, Mr. Delamere--do you still obstinately
persist in this ridiculous, this unworthy attachment?'
'I left you, my Lord,' answered Delamere, 'without deceiving you as to
my motives for doing so. I came in search of Miss Mowbray. By a
fortunate accident I found her. I have never dissimulated; nor ever mean
it in whatever relates to her. Nothing has prevented my making her
irrevocably mine, but her too scrupulous adherence to a promise _she_
ought never to have given, and which your _Lordship_ ought never to have
extorted.'
Emmeline, gentle as she was, had yet that proper spirit which conscious
worth seldom fails of inspiring: and knowing that she had already
sacrificed much to the respect she thought Lord Montreville entitled to,
she was hurt at finding, from his angry and contemptuous tone, as well
as words, that she was condemned unheard, and treated with harshness
where she deserved only kindness and gratitude.
The courage of which her first surprise had deprived her, was restored
by these sensations; and she said, with great coolness, yet with less
timidity than usual, 'my Lord, I have yet done nothing in violation of
the promise I gave you. But the moment your Lordship doubts my adherence
to it, from that moment I consider it as dissolved.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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