A Simple Story

by Mrs. Inchbald

  CHAPTER VIII.

  Miss Woodley, for the first time, disobeyed the will of Mr. Sandford;and as soon as Miss Milner and she were alone, repeated all he hadrevealed to her; accompanying the recital, with her usual testimonies ofsympathy and affection. But had the genius of Sandford presided overthis discovery, it could not have influenced the mind of Miss Milner toreceive the intelligence with a temper more exactly the opposite of thatwhich it was the intention of the informer to recommend. Instead ofshuddering at the menace Lord Elmwood had uttered, she said, she "Daredhim to perform it." "He dares not," repeated she.

  "Why dares not?" said Miss Woodley.

  "Because he loves me too well--because his own happiness is too dear tohim."

  "I believe he loves you," replied Miss Woodley, "and yet there is adoubt if----"

  "There shall be no longer a doubt," cried Miss Milner, "I'll put him tothe proof."

  "For shame, my dear! you talk inconsiderately--what can you mean byproof?"

  "I mean I will do something that no prudent man _ought_ to forgive; andyet, with all his vast share of prudence, _he_ shall forgive it, andmake a sacrifice of just resentment to partial affection."

  "But if you should be disappointed, and he should _not_ make thesacrifice?" said Miss Woodley.

  "Then I have only lost a man who had no regard for me."

  "He may have a great regard for you, notwithstanding."

  "But for the love I have felt, and do still feel, for my Lord Elmwood, Iwill have something more than a _great regard_ in return."

  "You have his love, I am sure."

  "But is it such as mine? _I_ could love _him_ if he had a thousandfaults. And yet," said she, recollecting herself, "and yet, I believehis being faultless, was the first cause of my passion."

  Thus she talked on--sometimes in anger, sometimes apparently jesting--tillher servant came to let her know the dinner was served. Upon enteringthe dining-room, and seeing Lord Elmwood's place at table vacant, shestarted back. She was disappointed of the pleasure she expected indining with him; and his sudden absence, so immediately after theintelligence that she had received from Miss Woodley, increased heruneasiness. She drew her chair, and sat down with an indifference, thatsaid she should not eat; and as soon as she was seated, she put herfingers sullenly to her lips, nor touched her knife and fork, nor spokea word in reply to any thing that was said to her during the wholedinner. Miss Woodley and Mrs. Horton were both too well acquainted withthe good disposition of her heart, to take offence, or appear to noticethis behaviour. They dined, and said nothing either to provoke or soothher. Just as the dinner was going to be removed, a loud rap came at thedoor--"Who is that?" said Mrs. Horton. One of the servants went to thewindow, and answered, "My Lord and Mr. Sandford, Madam."

  "Come back to dinner as I live," cried Mrs. Horton.

  Miss Milner continued her position and said nothing--but at the cornersof her mouth, which her fingers did not entirely cover, there werediscoverable, a thousand dimpled graces like small convulsive fibres,which a restrained smile upon Lord Elmwood's return, had sent there.

  Lord Elmwood and Sandford entered.

  "I am glad you are returned, my Lord," said Mrs. Horton, "for MissMilner would not eat a morsel."

  "It was only because I had no appetite," returned she, blushing likecrimson.

  "We should not have come back," said Sandford, "but at the place wherewe went to dine, all the rooms were filled with company."

  Lord Elmwood put the wing of a fowl on Miss Milner's plate, but withoutpreviously asking if she chose any; yet she condescended to eat--theyspoke to each other too in the course of conversation, but it was with areserve that appeared as if they had been quarrelling, and felt so tothemselves, though no such circumstance had happened.

  Two weeks passed away in this kind of distant behaviour on both sides,without either of them venturing a direct quarrel, and without either ofthem expressing (except inadvertently) their strong affection for eachother.

  During this time they were once, however, very near becoming the dearestfriends in expression, as well as in sentiment. This arose from a favourthat he had granted in compliance with her desire, though that desirehad not been urged, but merely insinuated; and as it was a favour whichhe had refused to the repeated requests of many of his friends, thevalue of the obligation was heightened.

  She and Miss Woodley had taken an airing to see the poor child, youngRushbrook. Lord Elmwood inquiring of the ladies how they had passedtheir morning, Miss Milner frankly told him; and added, "What pain itgave her to leave the child behind, as he had again cried to come awaywith her."

  "Go for him then to-morrow," said Lord Elmwood, "and bring him home."

  "Home!" she repeated, with surprise.

  "Yes," replied he, "if you desire it, this shall be his home--you shallbe a mother, and I will, henceforward, be a father to him."

  Sandford, who was present, looked unusually sour at this high token ofregard for Miss Milner; yet, with resentment on his face, he wiped atear of joy from his eye, for the boy's sake--his frown was the force ofprejudice, his tear the force of nature.

  Rushbrook was brought home; and whenever Lord Elmwood wished to shew akindness to Miss Milner, without directing it immediately to her, hetook his nephew upon his knee, talked to him, and told him, he "Was gladthey had become acquainted."

  In the various, though delicate, struggles for power between Miss Milnerand her guardian, there was not one person a witness to these incidents,who did not suppose, that all would at last end in wedlock--for the mostcommon observer perceived, that ardent love was the foundation of everydiscontent, as well as of every joy they experienced. One greatincident, however, totally reversed the hope of all futureaccommodation.

  The fashionable Mrs. G---- gave a masked ball; tickets were presented topersons of quality and fashion; among the rest, three were sent to MissMilner. She had never been at a masquerade, and received them withecstasy--the more especially, as the masque being at the house of a womanof fashion, she did not conceive there could be any objection to hergoing. She was mistaken--the moment she mentioned it to Lord Elmwood, hedesired her, somewhat sternly, "Not to think of being there." She wasvexed at the prohibition, but more at the manner in which it wasdelivered, and boldly said, "That she should certainly go."

  She expected a rebuke for this, but what alarmed her much more, he saidnot a word; but looked with a resignation, which foreboded her sorrowgreater than the severest reproaches would have done. She sat for aminute, reflecting how to rouse him from this composure--she firstthought of attacking him with upbraidings; then she thought of soothinghim; and at last of laughing at him. This was the most dangerous of all,and yet, this she ventured upon.

  "I am sure your Lordship," said she, "with all your saintliness, canhave no objection to my being present at the masquerade, if I go as aNun."

  He made no reply.

  "That is a habit," continued she, "which covers a multitude offaults--and, for that evening, I may have the chance of making a conquesteven of you--nay, I question not, if under that inviting attire, even thepious Mr. Sandford would not ogle me."

  "Hush!" said Miss Woodley.

  "Why hush?" cried Miss Milner, aloud, though Miss Woodley had spoken ina whisper, "I am sure," continued she, "I am only repeating what I haveread in books about nuns and their confessors."

  "Your conduct, Miss Milner," replied Lord Elmwood "gives evident proofsof the authors you have read; you may spare yourself the trouble ofquoting them."

  Her pride was hurt at this, beyond bearing; and as she could not, likehim, govern her anger, it flushed in her face, and almost forced herinto tears.

  "My Lord," said Miss Woodley, (in a tone so soft and peaceful, that itshould have calmed the resentment of both,) "my Lord, suppose you wereto accompany Miss Milner? there are tickets for three, and you can thenhave no objection."

  Miss Milner's brow was immediately smoothed; and she fetched a sigh, inanxious expectation that he would
consent.

  "I go, Miss Woodley?" he replied, with astonishment, "Do you imagine Iwould play the buffoon at a masquerade?"

  Miss Milner's face changed into its former state.

  "I have seen grave characters there, my Lord," said Miss Woodley.

  "Dear Miss Woodley," cried Miss Milner, "why persuade Lord Elmwood toput on a mask, just at the time he has laid it aside?"

  His patience was now tempted to its height, and he answered, "If yoususpect me of inconsistency, Madam, you shall find me changed."

  Pleased that she had been able at last to irritate him, she smiled witha degree of triumph, and in that humour was going to reply; but beforeshe could speak four words, and before she thought of it, he abruptlyleft the room.

  She was highly offended at this insult, and declared, "From that momentshe banished him from her heart for ever." And to prove that she set hislove and his anger at equal defiance, she immediately ordered hercarriage, and said, she "Was going to some of her acquaintance, whom sheknew to have tickets, and with whom she would fix upon the habit she wasto appear in at the masquerade; for nothing, unless she was locked up,should alter the resolution she had formed, of being there." Toremonstrate at that moment, Miss Woodley knew would be in vain--her coachcame to the door, and she drove away.

  She did not return to dinner, nor till it was late in the evening; LordElmwood was at home, but he never once mentioned her name.

  She came home, after he had retired, in great spirits; and then, for thefirst time, in her whole life, appeared careless what he might think ofher behaviour:--but her whole thoughts were occupied upon the businesswhich had employed the chief of her day; and her dress engrossed all herconversation, as soon as Miss Woodley and she were alone. She told her,she had been shewn the greatest variety of beautiful and becomingdresses she had ever beheld; "and yet," said she, "I have at last fixedupon a very plain one; but one I look so well in, that you will hardlyknow me, when I have it on."

  "You are seriously then resolved to go," said Miss Woodley, "if you hearno more on the subject from your guardian?"

  "Whether I do hear or not, Miss Woodley, I am equally resolved to go."

  "But you know, my dear, he has desired you not--and you used always toobey his commands."

  "As my guardian, I certainly did obey him; and I could obey him as ahusband; but as a lover, I will not."

  "Yet that is the way never to have him for a husband."

  "As he pleases--for if he will not submit to be my lover, I will notsubmit to be his wife--nor has he the affection that I require in ahusband."

  Thus the old sentiments, repeated again and again, prevented aseparation till towards morning.

  Miss Milner, for that night, dreamed less of her guardian than of themasquerade. On the evening of the next day it was to be--she was upearly, breakfasted in her dressing room, and remained there most of theday, busied in a thousand preparations for the night; one of them was,to take every particle of powder out of her hair, and have it curled allover in falling ringlets. Her next care was, that her dress shouldexactly fit, and display her fine person to the best advantage--it didso. Miss Woodley entered as it was trying on, and was all astonishmentat the elegance of the habit, and its beautiful effect upon her gracefulperson; but, most of all, she was astonished at her venturing on such acharacter--for though it represented the goddess of Chastity, yet fromthe buskins, and the petticoat festooned far above the ancle, it had, on a first glance, the appearance of a female much lessvirtuous. Miss Woodley admired this dress, yet objected to it; but asshe admired first, her objections after had no weight.

  "Where is Lord Elmwood?" said Miss Milner--"he must not see me."

  "No, for heaven's sake," cried Miss Woodley, "I would not have him seeyou in such a disguise for the universe."

  "And yet," returned the other, with a sigh, "why am I then thus pleasedwith my dress? for I had rather he should admire me than all the worldbesides, and yet he is not to see me in it."

  "But he would not admire you so dressed," said Miss Woodley.

  "How shall I contrive to avoid him," said Miss Milner, "if in theevening he should offer to hand me into my carriage? But I believe hewill not be in good humour enough for that."

  "You had better dress at the house of the ladies with whom you go," saidMiss Woodley; and this was agreed upon.

  At dinner they learnt that Lord Elmwood was to go that evening toWindsor, in order to be in readiness for the king's hunt early in themorning. This intelligence having dispersed Miss Milner's fears, sheconcluded upon dressing at home.

  Lord Elmwood appeared at dinner, in an even, but not in a good temper;the subject of the masquerade was never brought up, nor indeed was itonce in his thoughts; for though he was offended at his ward's behaviouron the occasion, and considered that she committed a fault in tellinghim, "She would go," yet he never suspected she meant to do so, not evenat the time she said it, much less that she would persist, coolly anddeliberately, in so direct a contradiction to his will. She, for herpart, flattered herself, that his going to Windsor, was intended inorder to give her an opportunity of passing the evening as she pleased,without his being obliged to know of it, and consequently to complain.Miss Woodley, who was willing to hope as she wished, began to be of thesame opinion; and, without reluctance, dressed herself as a wood-nymphto accompany her friend.