It opened, as he expected, with replies to some matters about leases and repairs; and then followed:—­

“I am informed that you have a large Family, and Daughters growing up whom it is desirable to put in the way of making a good Match, or else an honourable Livelihood; I am therefore willing, for the Sake of our Family Connection, to charge myself with your youngest Girl, whose Name I understand to be Aurelia.  I will cause her to be trained in useful Works in my Household, expecting her, in Return, to assist in the Care and Instruction of my young Children; and if she please me and prove herself worthy and attentive, I will bestow her Marriage upon some suitable Person.  This is the more proper and convenient for you, because your Age and Health are such that I may not long be able to retain you in the Charge of my Estate—­in which indeed you are continued only out of Consideration of an extremely distant Relationship, although a younger and more active Man, bred to the Profession, would serve me far more profitably.”

When Betty came into the room a few minutes later to pull off her father’s boots she found him sitting like one transfixed.  He held out the letter, saying, “Read that, child.”

Betty stood by the window and read, only giving one start, and muttering between her teeth, “Insolent woman!” but not speaking the words aloud, for she knew her father would treat them as treason.  He always had a certain tender deference for his cousin Urania, mixed with something akin to compunction, as if his loyalty to his betrothed had been disloyalty to his family.  Thus, he exceeded the rest of his sex in blindness to the defects that had been so evident to his wife and daughter; and whatever provocation might make him say of my Lady himself, he never permitted a word against her from any one else.  He looked wistfully at Betty and said, “My little Aura!  It is a kindly thought.  Her son must have writ of the child.  But I had liefer she had asked me for the sight of my old eyes.”

“The question is,” said Betty, in clear, incisive tones, “whether we surrender Aurelia or your situation?”

“Nay, nay, Betty, you always do my cousin less than justice.  She means well by the child and by us all.  Come, come say what is in your mind,” he add testily.

“Am I at liberty to express myself, sir?”

“Of course you are.  I had rather hear the whole discharge of your battery than see you looking constrained and satirical.”

“Then, sir, my conclusion is this.  The young baronet has shown himself smitten with out pretty Aurelia, and has spoken of tarrying on his return to make farther acquaintance.  My Lady is afraid of his going to greater lengths, and therefore wishes to have her at her disposal.”

“She proposes to take her into her own family; that is not taking her out of his way.”

“I am sure of that.”

“You are prejudiced, like your poor dear mother—­the best of women, if only she could ever have done justice to her Ladyship!  Don’t you see, child, Aurelia would not be gone before his return, supposing he should come this way.”