I left old Nanny, and arrived at my mother's house in time for
breakfast. I did not, however, find her in a very good humour;
something had evidently ruffled her. Virginia also, who welcomed me
most cordially, was taciturn and grave. My mother made but one
observation during our repast.
"Well, Tom," said she, "you've found out what it is to wish to marry for
love; I only wish it may be a lesson to others."
To this evident attack upon Virginia, at the expense of my feelings, I
made no reply, and soon afterwards my mother went to superintend her
establishment, leaving me and my sister alone.
"Tom," said she, "I hope by this time you are no longer suffering from
your late cruel disappointment. I have felt for you, I assure you, and,
assuring you of that, will not again revert to the subject. Let her be
blotted from your memory as soon as possible."
"Be it so, my dear Virginia; but you are grave, and my mother is
evidently out of humour. You must explain this."
"That is easily done. I have made a sad mistake. I was so much annoyed
at my mother's system towards me that I ventured, without her knowledge,
to write to Lady Hercules, requesting her protection and influence to
procure me some situation as a companion to a lady, amanuensis, or
reader. It appears that her ladyship was not very sincere in her
professions when we had an interview with her; at all events, her reply
was anything but satisfactory, and, unfortunately, it was addressed to
my mother, and not to me. You can have no idea of my mother's
indignation upon the receipt of it, and she has not been sparing in her
reproaches to me for having written without her knowledge, and having,
by so doing, subjected her to such a mortification. I certainly am
sorry to have done so. As for her ladyship's answer, it would have been
to me more a subject of mirth than any other feeling. It has, however,
proved the cause of much annoyance from my mother's continually harping
upon it."
"Have you the letter of Lady Hercules?"
"I have a copy of it, which I took, intending to have sent it to you the
next time that I wrote. I will bring it down if you will wait a
minute."