Part 28 (1/2)
Although he was unwilling to mention May to his mother and sister, and still more so to his brother, he did not hesitate to speak of her to Headland.
”But, my dear Harry, have you well considered what will be the consequence of your frequent interviews with this beautiful young creature?” asked his friend. ”You appear already to have lost your heart, and what will be the effect of your attentions on her?”
Harry was what he would have called taken aback at the question.
”You are right in supposing that I have lost my heart, but if I know what love is, I believe that I love her as sincerely and devotedly as a man can love a girl. Had she been uneducated and living with her father and mother, I would not have attempted to see her again. When I found her as lady-like and refined as the best born in the land can be, I could not resist my cousin's invitation, and, I own, yielded to her attractions without considering the consequences. Still, whatever may be my feelings, I have done my utmost not to exhibit them, and she receives me so calmly and modestly, simply as a visitor to the Miss Pembertons, while she appears so unconscious of her own beauty, that I am not vain enough to suppose her feelings are in any way interested in me.”
”I am a person of little experience with regard to women's hearts,” said Headland; ”but it strikes me that a country girl wholly unaccustomed to the society of gentlemen is very likely, in spite of all your caution, to be more interested in you than you may in your modesty suppose.
Whatever your cousins, who, from your account, must be unusually simple-minded, unworldly ladies, may think, their young protege may suspect that you would not come over every day for the sole purpose of working at their grotto, and may have a suspicion that she herself is the attraction.”
”Indeed, I believe I like them so much, that had they asked me to come and make a grotto for them, I would have done so even if Miss Halliburt had not been with them!” exclaimed Harry. ”Though I confess that the pleasure is enhanced by working with her.”
”It may be so, Harry,” said Headland. ”But if Miss Halliburt is there, and you admire her so warmly, can you sufficiently conceal your admiration as to convince her that she is not the attraction, and if you did so, might she not be unconsciously piqued by wis.h.i.+ng to bring you to her feet.”
”She is too pure and simple-minded to do anything of the sort!”
exclaimed Harry in an indignant tone. ”If I find I have gained her affections, I will offer her my hand, and stand the consequences. I shall feel that I am in honour bound to do so; indeed I should be utterly miserable if, conscious that I possessed her love, I was compelled to give her up.”
”My dear Harry, it is not for a man of unknown birth like myself to warn you against the consequences of a misalliance; but you tell me that the Castletons are a proud race, and that your father and brother are like the rest of the family. You cannot for a moment suppose that they would be otherwise than indignant were you to propose to marry this girl, charming and beautiful as she may be. And I am afraid that your mother and sister, though they might be pleased with her, would strongly oppose your wishes.”
”I should have hopes of winning them over. Algernon has no right to interfere, and I do not think he would; and my father, proud as he is, has so great an admiration for female beauty, that I believe were he to see May, he would be compelled to acknowledge I had ample excuse for wis.h.i.+ng her to become my wife.”
”I trust it may be so, Harry,” said Headland. ”I have spoken to you as I felt bound to do as one of your oldest friends, and as I know you to be thoroughly honourable and right-minded you would not be the cause of pain and disappointment to any woman, especially to the young and innocent creature you admire so much.”
”I am grateful to you, Headland, indeed I am,” exclaimed Harry, taking his friend's hand. ”I should have been wiser had I not spoken a second time to Miss Halliburt, but I am sure that I should have been less than human had I not done so. The fact is, my dear fellow, I am in for it.
But I will remember your warning, and, for her sake rather than my own, not make love to her, and then, at all events, I shall have to suffer alone, should insuperable difficulties to our marrying arise.”
Though Headland had spoken thus frankly and faithfully to Harry, Harry, from delicacy, could not bring himself to speak in the same way to his friend. He felt very sure that Headland admired Julia, and from what she had said, he fully suspected the secret of her heart. Would not his father, however, object as much to Julia marrying Headland as he would to his marrying the fisher-girl. The cases were, however, very different. Headland, though of unknown birth, had gained a position for himself, and Captain Fancourt had written in the highest terms of him, and would, he thought, support his suite if he proposed. Still he was too well acquainted with his father's proud unyielding temper not to fear that in either case there would be difficulties to contend with.
Headland had already made a considerable sum in prize money, so that the only objection which could possibly be raised against him was his ignorance of his family.
Harry trusted that as he himself was a younger son, his father might not object so much as he would have done, had Algernon been in his place.
This gave him some slight hopes that the difficulties which he knew must arise would finally be overcome. At all events, as long as the Miss Pembertons wished him to come to their house, he arrived at the conclusion that he was perfectly justified in going there.
CHAPTER THIRTY.
MAY'S INTRODUCTION TO THE CASTLETONS.
Miss Mary, led by May, was taking a stroll after breakfast, when Harry arrived.
”We shall be truly glad to see your mother as she so seldom visits us,”
said Miss Mary, mildly; ”and as I hope she and Julia will stop to take luncheon, I will go in and order preparations, for Jane is out visiting at some cottages in the neighbourhood and may not be back just yet. As I suppose you do not wish to be idle, pray, if you feel disposed, go on in the meantime with the grotto, and May will, I daresay, be glad to a.s.sist you.”
Harry, after his conversation with Headland, had been more observant than usual of May's behaviour. A blush suffused her cheeks as Miss Mary said this, and as her eyes met Harry's he was convinced that she had no disinclination to do what Miss Mary proposed.
Accordingly, after they had attended Miss Mary to the house, they went together, Harry carrying a fresh basket of sh.e.l.ls brought up by Jacob on the previous evening. May was more silent than usual, though she answered when Harry spoke to her in that soft tone he so much delighted to hear, which she had learned from Miss Mary rather than from her elder sister.
Harry at length made a remark which caused her to reply.
”I am thinking of the visit we are to receive from Lady Castleton and your sister, and I confess that I feel somewhat nervous.”