Sir William Harris, the proprietor of the deanery, and a former
neighbor, with his showy daughter, were amongst the first to visit them.
Sir William was a man of handsome estate and unexceptionable character,
but entirely governed by the whims and desires of his only child.
Caroline Harris wanted neither sense nor beauty, but expecting a
fortune, she had placed her views too high. She at first aimed at the
peerage; and while she felt herself entitled to suit her taste as well
as her ambition, had failed of her object by ill-concealed efforts to
attain it. She had justly acquired the reputation of the reverse of a
coquette or yet of a prude; still she had never received an offer, and
at the age of twenty-six, had now begun to lower her thoughts to the
commonalty. Her fortune would have easily obtained her husband here, but
she was determined to pick amongst the lower supporters of the
aristocracy of the nation. With the Moseleys she had been early
acquainted, though some years their senior; a circumstance, however, to
which she took care never to allude unnecessarily.
The meeting between Grace and the Moseleys was tender and sincere.
John's countenance glowed with delight, as he saw his future wife folded
successively in the arms of those he loved, and Grace's tears and
blushes added twofold charms to her native beauty. Jane relaxed from her
reserve to receive her future sister, and determined with herself to
appear in the world, in order to show Sir Henry Egerton that she did not
feel the blow he had inflicted as severely as the truth might have
proved.
The Dowager found some little occupation, for a few days, in settling
with Lady Moseley the preliminaries of the wedding; but the latter had
suffered too much through her youngest daughters, to enter into these
formalities with her ancient spirit. All things were, however, happily
settled; and Ives making a journey for the express purpose, John and
Grace were united privately at the altar of one of the principal
churches in Bath. Chatterton had been summoned on the occasion; and the
same paper which announced the nuptials, contained, amongst the
fashionable arrivals, the names of the Duke of Derwent and his sister,
the Marquess of Eltringham and sisters, amongst whom was to be found
Lady Laura Denbigh. Lady Chatterton carelessly remarked, in presence of
her friends, the husband of the latter was summoned to the death-bed of
a relative, from whom he had great expectations. Emily's color did
certainly change as she listened to this news, but not allowing her
thoughts to dwell on the subject, she was soon enabled to recall her
serenity of appearance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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