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Chapter 1 Lady Susan Vernon to Mr. Vernon LANGFORD DECEMBER
My dear brother, I can no longer refuse myself the pleasure of profiting by your kind invitation, when last we parted, of spending some weeks with you at Churchill.
And, therefore, if quite convenient to you and Mrs. Vernon to receive me at present, I shall hope within a few days to be introduced to a sister whom I have so long desired to be acquainted with.
My kind friends here are most affectionately urgent with me to prolong my stay, but their hospitable and cheerful dispositions lead them too much into society for my present situation and state of mind, and I impatiently look forward to the hour when I shall be admitted into your delightful retirement.
I long to be made known to your dear little children, in whose hearts I shall be very eager to secure an interest. I shall soon have need for all my fortitude, as I am on the point of separation from my own daughter.
The long illness of her dear father prevented my paying her that attention which duty and affection equally dictated, and I have too much reason to fear that the governess, to whose care I consigned her, was unequal to the charge.
I have therefore resolved in placing her at one of the best private schools in town, where I shall have an opportunity of leaving her myself in my way to you.I am determined, you see, not to be denied admittance at Churchill.
It would, indeed, give me the most painful sensations to know that it were not in your power to receive me.Your most obliged
CHAPTER 2.LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS. JOHNSON LANGFORD.
You were mistaken, my dear Alicia, in supposing me fixed at this place for the rest of the winter.It grieves me to say how greatly you are mistaken, for I have seldom spent three months more agreeably than those which have just flown away.
At present nothing goes smoothly. The females of the family are united against me.You foretold how it would be when I first came to Langford, and man-wearing is so uncommonly pleasing that I was not without apprehensions for myself.
I remember saying to myself, as I drove to the house, I like this man.Pray heaven no harm come of it. But I was determined to be discreet, to bear in mind my being only four months a widow, and to be as quiet as possible.
And I have been so, my dear creature.I have admitted no one's attentions but man-wearings.I have avoided all general flirtation whatever.
I have distinguished no creature besides all of the numbers resorting hither except Sir James Martin, on whom I bestowed a little notice, in order to detach him from Miss Manwaring.But if the world could know my motive there, they would honour me.
I have been called an unkind mother, but it was the sacred impulse of maternal affection, it was the advantage of my daughter, that led me on.
And if that daughter were not the greatest simpleton on earth, I might have been rewarded for my exertions as I ought.
Sir James did make proposals to me for Frederica, but Frederica, who was born to be the torment of my life, chose to set herself so violently against the match that I thought it better to lay aside the scheme for the present.
I have more than once repented that I did not marry him myself.And were he but one degree less contemptibly weak, I certainly should.But I must own myself rather romantic in that respect, and that riches only will not satisfy me.
The event of all this is very provoking.
Sir James is gone, Maria highly incensed, and Mrs. Manwaring insupportably jealous, so jealous, in short, and so enraged against me that, in the fury of her temper, I should not be surprised at her appealing to her guardian, if she had the liberty of addressing him.
But there your husband stands, my friend, and the kindest, most amiable action of his life was his throwing her off for ever on her marriage.Keep up his resentment, therefore, I charge you.We are now in a sad state.
No house was ever more altered, the whole party are at war, and man-wearing scarcely dares speak to me.It is time for me to be gone.
I have therefore determined on leaving them, and shall spend, I hope, a comfortable day with you in town within this week.If I am as little in favour with Mr. Johnson as ever, you must come to me at 10 Wigmore Street.
But I hope this may not be the case, for as Mr. Johnson, with all his faults, is a man to whom that great word RESPECTABLE is always given, and I am known to be so intimate with his wife, his slighting me has an awkward look.
I take London in my way to that insupportable spot, a country village, for I really am going to Churchill.Forgive me, my dear friend, it is my last resource.Were there another place in England open to me, I would prefer it.
Charles Vernon is my aversion, and I am afraid of his wife.At Churchill, however, I must remain till I have something better in view.
My young lady accompanies me to town where I shall deposit her under the care of Miss Summers, in Wigmore Street, till she becomes a little more reasonable.She will make good connections there, as the girls are all of the best families.
The price is immense, and much beyond what I can ever attempt to pay.Adieu, I will send you a line as soon as I arrive in town.Yours ever, S. Vernon.
Chapter 3 Mrs. Vernon to Lady de Courcy CHURCHILL
My dear mother, I am very sorry to tell you that it will not be within our power to keep our promise of spending our Christmas with you, and we are prevented that happiness by a circumstance which is not likely to make us any amends.
Lady Susan, in a letter to her brother-in-law, has declared her intention of visiting us almost immediately, and as such a visit is in all probability merely an affair of convenience, it is impossible to conjecture its length.
I was by no means prepared for such an event, nor can I now account for her ladyship's conduct.
Langford appeared so exactly the place for her in every respect, as well from the elegant and expensive style of living there, as well as from her particular attachment to Mr. Mainwaring.
that I was very far from expecting so speedy a distinction, though I always imagined, from her increasing friendship for us since her husband's death, that we should at some future period be obliged to receive her.
Mr. Vernon, I think, was a great deal too kind to her when he was in Staffordshire.
Her behaviour to him, independent of her general character, has been so inexcusably artful and ungenerous, since her marriage was first in agitation, that no one less amiable and mild than himself could overlook it all.
And though as his brother's widow and in narrow circumstances, and it was proper to render her pecuniary assistance, I cannot help thinking that his pressing invitation to her to visit us at Church Hill, perfectly unnecessary.
Disposed, however, as he always is to think the best of everyone, her displays of grief and professions of regret and general resolutions of prudence were sufficient to soften his heart and make him really confide in her sincerity.
But as for myself, I remain unconvinced as her ladyship has now written, and I cannot make up my mind until I better understand her real meaning in coming to us.
You may guess, therefore, my dear mother, with what feelings I look forward to her arrival.
She will have occasion for all those attractive powers for which she is celebrated, to gain any share of my regard, and I shall certainly endeavour to guard myself against her influence, if not accompanied by something more substantial.
She expresses a most eager desire of becoming acquainted with me, and makes very gracious mention of my children.
Though I am not quite weak enough to suppose a woman who has behaved with inattention if not unkindness to her own child should be attached to any of mine.
Miss Vernon is to be placed in a school in London before her mother comes to us, which I am glad of for her sake and my own.
It must be to her advantage to be separated from her mother, and a girl of sixteen, who has received so wretched an education, could not be very desirable company here.
Reginald has long wished, I know, to see the captivating Lady Susan, and he will depend on joining our party soon.I am glad to hear that my father continues so well.
CHAPTER IV MR. DECOURSY TO MRS. VERNON Parklands My dear sister, I congratulate you and Mr. Vernon on being about to receive into your family the most accomplished coquette in England.
As a very distinguished flirt, I have always been taught to consider her, but it has lately fallen in my way to hear some particulars of her conduct at Langford, which prove that she does not confine herself to the sort of honest flirtation which satisfies most people, but aspires to the more delicious gratification of making a whole family miserable.
By her behavior to Mr. Mainwaring, she gave jealousy and wretchedness to his wife, and by her attentions to a young man, previously attached to Mr. Mainwaring's sister, deprived an amiable girl of her lover.
I learnt all this from Mr. Smith, now in this neighbourhood.I have dined with him at Hurst and Wilford, who has just come from Langford, where he was a fortnight ago with her ladyship, and who is therefore well qualified to make the communication.
What a woman she must be!
I long to see her, and shall certainly accept your kind invitation, that I may form some idea of those bewitching powers which can do so much, engaging, at the same time and in the same house, the affections of two men, who are neither of them at liberty to bestow them
And all this without the charm of youth!I am glad to find Miss Vernon does not accompany her mother to Churchill, as she has not even manners to recommend her, and, according to Mr. Smith's account, is equally dull and proud.
Where pride and stupidity unite, there can be no dissimulation worthy notice, and Miss Vernon shall be consigned to unrelenting contempt.
But by all that I can gather, Lady Susan possesses a degree of captivating deceit, which it must be pleasing to witness and detect.I shall be with you very soon. and M. Ever, your affectionate brother, are decoursing.
CHAPTER V. LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS. JOHNSON CHURCHILL I received your note, my dear Alicia, just before I left town, and rejoiced to be assured that Mr. Johnson suspected nothing of your engagement the evening before.
It is undoubtedly better to deceive him entirely, and since he will be stubborn he must be tricked.
I arrived here in safety, and have no reason to complain of my reception from Mr. Vernon, but I confess myself not equally satisfied with the behaviour of his lady.
She is perfectly well bred, indeed, and has the air of a woman of fashion, but her manners are not such as can persuade me of her being prepossessed in my favour. I wanted her to be delighted at seeing me.
I was as amiable as possible on the occasion, but all in vain.She does not like me.To be sure, when we consider that I did take some pains to prevent my brother-in-law's marrying her, this want of cordiality is not very surprising.
And yet it shows an illiberal and vindictive spirit to resent a project which influenced me six years ago, and which never succeeded at last.
I am sometimes disposed to repent that I did not let Charles buy Vernon Castle when we were obliged to sell it.
But it was a trying circumstance, especially as the sale took place exactly at the time of his marriage, and everybody ought to respect the delicacy of those feelings which could not endure that my husband's dignity should be lessened by his younger brothers having possession of the family estate.
Could matters have been so arranged as to prevent the necessity of our leaving the castle?Could we have lived with Charles and kept him single?I should have been very far from persuading my husband to dispose of it elsewhere.
But Charles was on the point of marrying Miss de Courcy, and the event has justified me.Here are children in abundance, and what benefit could have accrued to me from his purchasing Vernon?
But my having prevented it may, perhaps, have given his wife an unfavourable impression.But where there is a disposition to dislike, a motive will never be wanting.And as to money matters, it has not withheld him from being very useful to me.
I really have a regard for him.He is so easily imposed upon.The house is a good one.The furniture fashionable, and everything announces plenty and elegance. Charles is very rich, I'm sure.
When a man has once got his name in a banking house, he rolls in money.But they do not know what to do with it, keeping very little company, and never go to London but on business.We shall be as stupid as possible.
I mean to win my sister-in-law's heart through the children.
I know all their names already, and I'm going to attach myself with the greatest sensibility to one in particular, a young Frederick, whom I take on my lap and sigh over for his dear uncle's sake.Poor Manwaring!
I need not tell you how much I miss him, how perpetually he is in my thoughts. I found a dismal letter from him on my arrival here, full of complaints of his wife and sister, and lamentations on the cruelty of his fate.
I passed off the letter as his wife's, to the Vernons, and when I write to him it must be undercover to you.Ever yours, S. Vernon.
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