Charlotte gave a prodigious start, but she denied the charge. "Oh! dear me, Miss Conway, how you can say so," she simpered. "It is only your fun. I thank goodness, I keep myself to myself." "Very good," said Harriet, "I don't care how many hearts you break, only don't lose your own." Charlotte thought this a famous joke--she tossed her head, laughed and disappeared. But a few days after, while she was dressing her young mistress; after having committed a series of blunders, which were enough to try the patience of anybody, she stood quite still, and began to cry. Harriet was very good-natured to her servants; she threw herself into a chair, stifled a strong inclination to laugh, and begged to know what was the matter. "If you would please to speak for me, Miss Conway," sobbed the agitated Charlotte. "Speak for you? Do you mean that you wish me to give you a character? Certainly, when you leave, if you mean to leave me. I did not know you wished to go away." Charlotte shook her head. "What can be the matter then, Charlotte; is my Aunt Singleton displeased with you?" Another shake, and a burst of sobbing. "Are you ill! You had better let me give you some medicine," said Harriet, looking for the key of her medicine chest. "Perhaps, Miss Conway did not know that Mr. Gage was going to leave Singleton Manor." Harriet turned pale. No she did not know it. "When was he going?" Charlotte knew nothing about Mr. Gage; she only knew that his horses were to set off for Chirke Weston the day after to-morrow. "But you are hardly crying after Mr. Gage's horses," said Harriet, making a desperate effort to rally her spirits. "Mr. Thompson!" sobbed the damsel. "Oh! he is the objection--what have you to say against Mr. Thompson? Mr. Gage's groom, I conclude." Mr. Thompson had made Charlotte an offer; very respectful, and very devoted, Charlotte said he was. She confessed that Mr. Thompson was not indifferent to her, but he was so much in awe of his master, that he could not muster up courage to confess his weakness. "But why does he not give Mr. Gage warning?" asked Harriet. "Because," Charlotte said, "Mr. Thompson had a very good salary;" (Charlotte was always genteel in her language; she never hinted at wages,) "and it might be a very long time before he got such another situation, and he could less afford to lose it, if he had a wife to support." "Then, Charlotte, you must wait," said Harriet with decision; "it is no great hardship, how many ladies are obliged to wait--Mr. Gage will never suffer a married man in his service, moving as he does from place to place. You can never expect to have every thing you wish, I shall be happy to forward your interests when it is in my power, but just now it is clearly impossible." "If you would only speak to Mr. Gage for Henry," said Charlotte, hiding her face in her apron.