Part 68 (1/2)
”Civil and obedient, indeed!” cried Miss Ossulton, ”to a fellow who is a smuggler and a pirate! I, the sister of Lord B.! Never! The presumption of the wretch!”
”That is all very well, aunt; but recollect, we must submit to circ.u.mstances. These men insist upon our dining with them; and we must go, or we shall have no dinner.”
”I sit down with a pirate! Never! I'll have no dinner--I'll starve--I'll die!”
”But, my dear aunt, it's the only chance we have of obtaining our release; and if you do not do it Mrs Lascelles will think that you wish to remain with them.”
”Mrs Lascelles judges of other people by herself.”
”The captain is certainly a very well-behaved, handsome man. He looks like a n.o.bleman in disguise. What an odd thing it would be, aunt, if this should be all a hoax!”
”A hoax, child?” replied Miss Ossulton, sitting up on the sofa.
Cecilia found that she had hit the right nail, as the saying is; and she brought forward so many arguments to prove that she thought it was a hoax to frighten them, and that the gentleman above was a man of consequence, that her aunt began to listen to reason, and at last consented to join the dinner-party. Mrs Lascelles now came down below; and when dinner was announced they repaired to the large cabin, where they found Pickersgill and Corbett waiting for them.
Miss Ossulton did not venture to look up, until she heard Pickersgill say to Mrs Lascelles, ”Perhaps, madam, you will do me the favour to introduce me to that lady, whom I have not had the honour of seeing before?”
”Certainly, my lord,” replied Mrs Lascelles. ”Miss Ossulton, the aunt of this young lady.”
Mrs Lascelles purposely did not introduce _his lords.h.i.+p_ in return, that she might mystify the old spinster.
”I feel highly honoured in finding myself in the company of Miss Ossulton,” said Pickersgill. ”Ladies, we wait but for you to sit down.
Ossulton, take the head of the table and serve the soup.”
Miss Ossulton was astonished; she looked at the smugglers, and perceived two well-dressed gentlemanly men, one of whom was apparently a lord, and the other having the same family name.
”It must be all a hoax,” thought she; and she very quietly took to her soup.
The dinner pa.s.sed off very pleasantly; Pickersgill was agreeable, Corbett funny, and Miss Ossulton so far recovered herself as to drink wine with his lords.h.i.+p, and to ask Corbett what branch of their family he belonged to.
”I presume it's the Irish branch,” said Mrs Lascelles, prompting him.
”Exactly, madam,” replied Corbett.
”Have you ever been to Torquay, ladies?” inquired Pickersgill.
”No, my lord,” answered Mrs Lascelles.
”We shall anchor there in the course of an hour, and probably remain there till to-morrow. Steward, bring coffee. Tell the cook these cutlets were remarkably well dressed.”
The ladies retired to the cabin. Miss Ossulton was now convinced that it was all a hoax; but said she, ”I shall tell Lord B. my opinion of their practical jokes when he returns. What is his lords.h.i.+p's name who is on board?”
”He won't tell us,” replied Mrs Lascelles; ”but I think I know; it is Lord Blarney.”
”Lord Blaney you mean, I presume,” said Miss Ossulton; ”however, the thing is carried too far. Cecilia, we will go on sh.o.r.e at Torquay, and wait till the yacht returns with Lord B. I don't like these jokes; they may do very well for widows, and people of no rank.”
Now, Mrs Lascelles was sorry to find Miss Ossulton so much at her ease.