_Lady De Courcy to Mrs. Vernon._
Parklands.
My dear Catherine,—Unluckily I was confined to my room when your last
letter came, by a cold which affected my eyes so much as to prevent my
reading it myself, so I could not refuse your father when he offered to
read it to me, by which means he became acquainted, to my great
vexation, with all your fears about your brother. I had intended to
write to Reginald myself as soon as my eyes would let me, to point out,
as well as I could, the danger of an intimate acquaintance, with so
artful a woman as Lady Susan, to a young man of his age, and high
expectations. I meant, moreover, to have reminded him of our being
quite alone now, and very much in need of him to keep up our spirits
these long winter evenings. Whether it would have done any good can
never be settled now, but I am excessively vexed that Sir Reginald
should know anything of a matter which we foresaw would make him so
uneasy. He caught all your fears the moment he had read your letter,
and I am sure he has not had the business out of his head since. He
wrote by the same post to Reginald a long letter full of it all, and
particularly asking an explanation of what he may have heard from Lady
Susan to contradict the late shocking reports. His answer came this
morning, which I shall enclose to you, as I think you will like to see
it. I wish it was more satisfactory; but it seems written with such a
determination to think well of Lady Susan, that his assurances as to
marriage, &c., do not set my heart at ease. I say all I can, however,
to satisfy your father, and he is certainly less uneasy since
Reginald’s letter. How provoking it is, my dear Catherine, that this
unwelcome guest of yours should not only prevent our meeting this
Christmas, but be the occasion of so much vexation and trouble! Kiss
the dear children for me.
Your affectionate mother,
C. DE COURCY.