Volume I Part 5 (1/2)
The affair was settled. The young people parted with the understanding that when Hazlehurst returned from Europe, and had acquired his profession, they were to be married; and Harry went to Philadelphia, to join his brother, and make the last arrangements for their voyage.
Jane, too, left Elinor a few days later; and Miss Wyllys, who had charge of her--as Mr. and Mrs. Graham lived in Charleston--placed her at one of the fas.h.i.+onable boarding schools of New York. Miss Adeline Taylor had, in the mean time, informed her parents that she had changed her mind as to the school which was to have the honour of completing her education: she should NOT return to Mrs.
A-----'s, but go to Mrs. G-----'s, which was a more fas.h.i.+onable establishment. Not that she had anything to complain of at Mrs.
A-----'s; but she thought the young ladies at Mrs. G-----'s dressed more elegantly, and besides, she felt the impossibility of remaining separated from Jane Graham, her new bosom friend.
These two young ladies had met twice previously to the evening they had pa.s.sed together at Wyllys-Roof; Adeline had upon one occasion been in the same boat with Jane, going and coming, between New York and Longbridge, and she had already done all in her power towards getting up a desperate intimacy. Her mother, as a matter of course, did not interfere with the young lady's preference for Mrs. G-----'s school--why should she? It was Adeline's affair; she belonged to the submissive cla.s.s of American parents, who think it an act of cruelty to influence or control their children, even long before they have arrived at years of discretion. As for Mr. Taylor, he had discovered that the daughters of several fas.h.i.+onable families were at Mrs.
G-----'s, and was perfectly satisfied with the change; all he had to do was, to make out the cheques in one name instead of another. Adeline managed the whole affair herself; and having at last been to a young party, for which she had been waiting, and having satisfied some lingering scruples as to the colours of the silk dresses which composed the winter uniform of the school, and which she at first thought frightfully unbecoming to her particular style of beauty, Miss Taylor one morning presented herself at Mrs. G-----'s door, and was regularly admitted as one of the young band in fas.h.i.+onable training under that lady's roof.
Jane, it is true, did not show quite as much rapture at the meeting as Adeline could have wished; but, then, Miss Taylor had already discovered that this last bosom-friend was of a calmer disposition than the dozen who had preceded her.
Harry had not been a day in Philadelphia, before he announced to his brother, his engagement with Elinor; for he was much too frank by nature to have any taste for unnecessary mystery.
”I have a piece of news for you, Robert,” he said, as he entered the drawing-room before dinner, and found his brother lying on a sofa.
”Good news, I hope,” replied Mr. Robert Hazlehurst.
”May I not have my share of it?” asked Mrs. Hazlehurst, whom Harry had not observed.
”Certainly; it is a piece of good fortune to your humble servant, in which I hope you will both be interested.”
”Why, really, Harry,” said his sister-in-law, ”there is a touch of importance, with a dash of self-complacency and mystery in your expression, that look a little lover-like. Have you come to announce that you are determined to offer yourself to some belle or other before we sail?”
”The deed is already done,” said Harry, colouring a little; as much, perhaps, from a mischievous satisfaction in the disappointment he foresaw, as from any other feeling.
”No!” said his brother, turning towards him with some anxiety.
”Offered yourself--and accepted, then; or, of course, you would not mention it.”
”Pray, tell us, Harry, who is to be our new sister,” said Mrs.
Hazlehurst, kindly, and with some interest.
”I have half a mind to tease you,” he replied, smiling.
”I never should guess,” said Mrs. Hazlehurst. ”I had no idea you were attached to any one--had you, Robert?”
”Not I! It must be somebody at Longbridge--he has been there more than half his time lately. Come, tell us, Harry, like a man; who is it?” asked Robert Hazlehurst, naturally feeling interested in his younger brother's choice.
”No one precisely at Longbridge,” said Harry, smiling.
”Who can it be?--And actually engaged?” added Mrs. Hazlehurst, who saw that Harry would not explain himself without being questioned.
”Engaged, very decidedly, and positively, I am happy to say. Is there anything so very wonderful in my having declared an attachment to Elinor; I am sure I have liked her better than any one else all my life.”
”Engaged to Elinor!” exclaimed Robert Hazlehurst, much relieved.
”I am delighted to hear it. It is a wiser step than one would always expect from a young gentleman of your years.”
”Engaged to Elinor! I wish you joy with all my heart,” repeated his sister-in-law. ”It had not occurred to me to think of any one so near and dear to us already; you could not have done better, Harry,” she added, with a perfectly frank, open smile.
To tell the truth, Hazlehurst was not a little surprised, and rather mortified by this decided approbation--since it proved he had been unjust, and that he had deceived himself as to what he had supposed the wishes of his brother, and the plans of his sister-in-law. He did not, however, for an instant, regret the step he had taken; his regard for Elinor was too sincere to allow of any other feeling than that of satisfaction, in remembering their engagement. But it had now become a matter of indifference whether Jane were to join the European party or not.
On the appointed day, the Hazlehursts sailed. They went abroad with more advantages than many others, for they carried with them good sense, good principles, and a good education, and were well prepared to enjoy the wide field of observation that lay before them. There was every reason to hope, from the encouraging opinions of his physicians, that Mr. Robert Hazlehurst's health would be entirely restored by travelling; his wife looked forward to the excursion with much pleasure, and Harry was delighted with the plan. They had an old family friend in Paris, an excellent woman, who was in every way qualified to redeem the promises she had given, of soon making them feel at home in France. Madame de Bessieres was the widow of a distinguished emigre, and had pa.s.sed a long exile with her husband in America. They had been for years near neighbours of Mr. Wyllys, and this gentleman had had it in his power, at different times, to render services of some importance to his French friends. Madame de Bessieres and her family were grateful for these acts of kindness: she had known the young people at Wyllys-Roof, and felt an interest in them all; for their own sakes, as well as from a sincere respect and regard for Mr. Wyllys and his daughter, this lady was anxious to show the Hazlehursts every friendly attention in her power. Under these agreeable auspices, the party left home, expecting to be absent for a couple of years.