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you have previously suffered。 I am so much agitated by delight that I can



scarcely hold a pen; but am determined to send you a few short lines by



James; that you may have some explanation of what must so greatly astonish



you; as that Reginald should be returning to Parklands。 I was sitting about



half an hour ago with Sir James in the breakfast parlour; when my brother



called me out of the room。 I instantly saw that something was the matter;



his complexion was raised; and he spoke with great emotion; you know his



eager manner; my dear mother; when his mind is interested。 〃Catherine;〃



said he; 〃I am going home to…day; I am sorry to leave you; but I must go:



it is a great while since I have seen my father and mother。 I am going to



send James forward with my hunters immediately; if you have any letter;



therefore; he can take it。 I shall not be at home myself till Wednesday or



Thursday; as I shall go through London; where I have business; but before I



leave you;〃 he continued; speaking in a lower tone; and with still greater



energy; 〃I must warn you of one thingdo not let Frederica Vernon be made



unhappy by that Martin。 He wants to marry her; her mother promotes the



match; but she cannot endure the idea of it。 Be assured that I speak from



the fullest conviction of the truth of what I say; I Know that Frederica is



made wretched by Sir James's continuing here。 She is a sweet girl; and



deserves a better fate。 Send him away immediately; he is only a fool: but



what her mother can mean; Heaven only knows! Good bye;〃 he added; shaking



my hand with earnestness; 〃I do not know when you will see me again; but



remember what I tell you of Frederica; you MUST make it your business to



see justice done her。 She is an amiable girl; and has a very superior mind



to what we have given her credit for。〃 He then left me; and ran upstairs。 I



would not try to stop him; for I know what his feelings must be。 The nature



of mine; as I listened to him; I need not attempt to describe; for a minute



or two I remained in the same spot; overpowered by wonder of a most



agreeable sort indeed; yet it required some consideration to be tranquilly



happy。 In about ten minutes after my return to the parlour Lady Susan



entered the room。 I concluded; of course; that she and Reginald had been



quarrelling; and looked with anxious curiosity for a confirmation of my



belief in her face。 Mistress of deceit; however; she appeared perfectly



unconcerned; and after chatting on indifferent subjects for a short time;



said to me; 〃I find from Wilson that we are going to lose Mr。 De Courcyis



it true that he leaves Churchhill this morning?〃 I replied that it was。 〃He



told us nothing of all this last night;〃 said she; laughing; 〃or even this



morning at breakfast; but perhaps he did not know it himself。 Young men are



often hasty in their resolutions; and not more sudden in forming than



unsteady in keeping them。 I should not be surprised if he were to change



his mind at last; and not go。〃 She soon afterwards left the room。 I trust;



however; my dear mother; that we have no reason to fear an alteration of



his present plan; things have gone too far。 They must have quarrelled; and



about Frederica; too。 Her calmness astonishes me。 What delight will be



yours in seeing him again; in seeing him still worthy your esteem; still



capable of forming your happiness! When I next write I shall be able to



tell you that Sir James is gone; Lady Susan vanquished; and Frederica at



peace。 We have much to do; but it shall be done。 I am all impatience to



hear how this astonishing change was effected。 I finish as I began; with



the warmest congratulations。







Yours ever; &c。;







CATH。 VERNON。























XXIV











FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME











Churchhill。











Little did I imagine; my dear Mother; when I sent off my last letter;



that the delightful perturbation of spirits I was then in would undergo so



speedy; so melancholy a reverse。 I never can sufficiently regret that I



wrote to you at all。 Yet who could have foreseen what has happened? My dear



mother; every hope which made me so happy only two hours ago has vanished。



The quarrel between Lady Susan and Reginald is made up; and we are all as



we were before。 One point only is gained。 Sir James Martin is dismissed。



What are we now to look forward to? I am indeed disappointed; Reginald was



all but gone; his horse was ordered and all but brought to the door; who



would not have felt safe? For half an hour I was in momentary expectation



of his departure。 After I had sent off my letter to you; I went to Mr。



Vernon; and sat with him in his room talking over the whole matter; and



then determined to look for Frederica; whom I had not seen since breakfast。



I met her on the stairs; and saw that she was crying。 〃My dear aunt;〃 said



she; 〃he is goingMr。 De Courcy is going; and it is all my fault。 I am



afraid you will be very angry with me。 but indeed I had no idea it would



end so。〃 〃My love;〃 I replied; 〃do not think it necessary to apologize to



me on that account。 I shall feel myself under an obligation to anyone who



is the means of sending my brother home; because;〃 recollecting myself; 〃I



know my father wants very much to see him。 But what is it you have done to



occasion all this?〃 She blushed deeply as she answered: 〃I was so unhappy



about Sir James that I could not helpI have done something very wrong; I



know; but you have not an idea of the misery I have been in: and mamma had



ordered me never to speak to you or my uncle about it; and〃 〃You



therefore spoke to my brother to engage his interference;〃 said I; to save



her the explanation。 〃No; but I wrote to himI did indeed; I got up this



morning before it was light; and was two hours about it; and when my letter



was done I thought I never should have courage to give it。 After breakfast



however; as I was going to my room; I met him in the passage; and then; as



I knew that everything must depend on that moment; I forced myself to give



it。 He was so good as to take it immediately。 I dared not look at him; and



ran away directly。 I was in such a fright I could hardly breathe。 My dear



aunt; you do not know how miserable I have been。〃 〃 Frederica〃 said I;



〃you ought to have told me all your distresses。 You would have found in me



a friend always ready to assist you。 Do you think that your uncle or I



should not have espoused your cause as warmly as my brother?〃 〃Indeed; I



did not doubt your kindness;〃 said she; colouring again; 〃but I thought Mr。



De Courcy could do anything with my mother; but I was mistaken: they have



had a dreadful quarrel about it; and he is going away。 Mamma will never



forgive me; and I shall be worse off than ever。〃 〃No; you shall not;〃 I



replied; 〃in such a point as this your mother's prohibition ought not to



have prevented your speaking to me on the subject。 She has no right to make



you unhappy; and she shall NOT do it。 Your applying; however; to Reginald



can be productive only of good to all parties。 I believe it is best as it



is。 Depend upon it that you shall not be made unhappy any longer。〃 At that



moment how great was my amonishment at seeing Reginald come out of Lady



Susan's dressing…room。 My heart misgave me instantly。 His confusion  at



seeing me was very evident。 Frederica immediately disappeared。 〃Are you



going?〃 I said; 〃you will find Mr。 Vernon in his own room。〃 〃No;



Catherine;〃 he replied; 〃I am not going。 Will you let me speak to you a



moment?〃 We went into my room。 〃I find;〃 he continued; his confusion



increasing as he spoke; 〃that I have been acting with my usual foolish



impetuosity。 I have entirely misunderstood Lady Susan; and was on the point



of leaving the house under a false impression of her conduct。 There has



been some very great mistake; we have been all mistaken; I fancy。 Frederica



does not know her mother。 Lady Susan means nothing but her good; but she



will not make a friend of her。 Lady Susan does not always know; therefore;



what will make her daughter happy。 Besides; I could have no right to



interfere。 Miss Vernon was mistaken in applying to me。 In short; Catherine;



everything has gone wrong; but it is now all happily settled。 Lady Susan; I



believe; wishes to speak to you about it; if you are at leisure。〃



〃Certainly;〃 I replied; deeply sighing at the recital of so lame a story。 I



made no comments; however; for words would have been vain。







Reginald was glad to get away; and I went to Lady Susan; curious;

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