Part 42 (1/2)
She then told Harry of their father's visit to Downside, of the result of which she herself was ignorant.
”I am sorely tempted to set my father at defiance, and, if he refuses his consent, to marry without it.”
”No, no, Harry--patience! May would never consent to such a course.”
”Why, Julia, what do you intend to do?” asked Harry, wrongly feeling for the moment that even she had turned against him.
”To obey our father and not to act against his commands; but I will not obey him in doing a sinful act by marrying any one else whom I do not love. I can, therefore, with a clear conscience urge you not to persuade May to marry you until our father gives his consent, though I do not for a moment advise you to give her up.”
”You are a clever casuist, Julia,” exclaimed Harry.
CHAPTER FORTY ONE.
A RIDE WITH GENERAL SAMPSON.
On reaching Downside, Harry and Julia were told that Miss Jane was in the house, and that Miss Mary and May were in the garden.
”Go in and see cousin Jane,” said Harry to his sister, as he a.s.sisted her to dismount. ”I will go into the garden.”
Without giving Julia the option of accompanying him, he hurried off in search of his blind cousin and her companion. He saw them seated on a bench under the shade of some overhanging trees. May was reading with her eyes bent down on the book. She was so absorbed in the subject that she did not hear Harry's approach.
Miss Mary's quick ear, however, soon detected the sound of his footsteps.
”Who is coming?” she asked abruptly.
May looked up, and uttering Harry's name in a tone of joy, sprang forward to meet him.
”Why, Harry, I had not expected to see you so soon,” she exclaimed, gazing up into his face.
Holding her hand, he advanced to Miss Mary, who smiled kindly as she greeted him. He told them that it was the first day the doctor had allowed him to ride out.
”Did Sir Ralph know that you were coming here?” asked Miss Mary.
”No; I conclude he did not suppose I was able to ride so far.”
”Then you have not acted against his orders.”
”Certainly not,” answered Harry; ”he has not prohibited me from coming here.”
”I am truly glad of that,” observed Miss Mary, with marked emphasis. ”I will leave you young people here, and go in and have a talk with Julia.
I daresay you will have something to say to each other.”
Harry and May offered to accompany the kind lady to the house.
”No, no,” she answered; ”I can find my way perfectly well alone, and shall not meet with an accident if there are no wheelbarrows or rakes in the way,” and rising, she proceeded at a slow pace towards the house.
May told Harry how anxious she had been on hearing of his being wounded by highwaymen--how grateful she felt to him for having endeavoured to recover Jacob. Then Harry told her how, day by day, he had heard of her from the doctor, and how the knowledge that she was getting better did more to restore him than anything else. He refrained from telling her, as long as he could, what he knew would give her pain--that he was appointed to a s.h.i.+p which he must soon join. At length, however, he had to communicate the information.
”But May,” he added, ”if you will consent at once to be mine, we would marry before I go, and then no human power can separate us.”
”Harry,” she exclaimed, gazing at him fixedly as they sat on the bench together, ”I had not thought that the time for parting would be so soon.