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Page 5
"I am indeed rejoiced that you are so pleased with our retreat, my
dear Miss Trevor, it is indeed a lovely spot."
"No Miss Trevor, if you please, my dear madam: it must be plain
Beatrice, and you must regard me as you do Ethelind, and be a mother
to me; for I know I greatly need a monitress; for you will find me, I
fear a sad giddy mad-cap."
Mrs. Fortescue smiling benignly promised acquiescence, and taking her
hand, which she grasped affectionately; led her into the next room,
where tea was waiting. After which, Ethelind took her up stairs, and
showed her the little bedroom prepared for her. They remained here
some time, chatting over their old school days, till summoned to
prayers. On taking leave for the night, Mrs. Fortescue begged if at
all heavy in the morning, that Beatrice would not hurry up. But she
arose early, much refreshed and delighted with all she saw. Ethelind
soon joined her, and offered to help her unpack, and arrange her
things, while the only servant they had, prepared the breakfast.
Soon as the morning meal was over, and little necessary arrangements
made, Ethelind proposed a ramble, which was gladly acceded to on the
part of Beatrice. They passed through an orchard into a lane, and as
they crossed a rustic bridge, the village church came in view. It was
a small gothic structure, standing in the burial ground, and as they
approached it, Beatrice was struck with admiration at the beds of
flowers, then blooming in full perfection on the graves; this is a
very beautiful, and, by no means, uncommon sight in South Wales; but
she had never seen it before. "Well, I declare, this is lovely;
really, Ethelind, to render the charm of romance complete, you ought
to have a very interesting young curate, with pale features and dark
hair and eyes."
"And so we have," said Ethelind, "and had he sat for his picture, you
could not have drawn a more correct likeness; but I regret to say, Mr.
Barclay's stay is not likely to be permanent, as one of Lord Eardly's
sons is to have the living, soon as the family returns from the
Continent, which we are all sorry for; as short as the time is, that
Mr. Barclay has been among us, he is generally liked, and from his
manner, we think the curacy, little as it is, an object to him; though
even now, he does a great deal of good, and you would hardly believe
all he has accomplished. I wish he were here, for I am sure you would
like him."
"I think," said Beatrice, "it is well he is not, for I might fall in
love with him, and then--"
"And then, what?" asked Ethelind.
"Why it must end in disappointment to both; for if he is poor and I am
poor, it would be little use our coming together; but were I rich, as
I expected to have been, then I might have set my cap at your young
curate, and rewarded his merit."
"Oh!" said Ethelind, "he deserves to be rich, he would make such good
use of wealth, for even now, he is very charitable."
"Charitable!" re-echoed Beatrice, "a curate, on perhaps less than a
hundred a year, must have a deal to be charitable with. Absurd: I
grant you he may have the heart, but certainly not the means."
"I know not," said Ethelind, "but I hear continually of the good he
does, and his kindness to the poor, and doubt if the Honourable
Frederic Eardly will do as much."
"Out upon these proud scions of nobility, I have not common patience
with the younger members of the aristocracy, taking holy orders solely
for the sake of aggrandizing the elder branches of the family; they
are rarely actuated by pious motives."
"We had only one service a-day till Mr. Barclay came, and now he
officiates morning and evening, besides managing to do duty, in the
afternoon, for a sick clergyman, who lives five miles off, and has a
large family, two of whom our worthy curate educates,--"
"No more," Ethelind, or my heart will be irrecoverably gone; but what
large house is that I see among the trees?"
"That is Eardly House."
"And do the family ever reside there?"
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