Gatty and I slept together, and talked a good Deal before we slept. She was quite strong and well now, but seemed more reluctant than ever to go back to Lady Betty; and I thought she seemed building on some vague Hope of getting taken by Mrs. Arbuthnot. I could see she liked her Country Home best of all, but felt she had no Right to stay.
Next Day, we took a brisk Walk over the hard frozen Ground. The Trees being leafless, and the Sky threatening Snow, I thought the Country had a dreary Look with it; but the young People were so gay that one could not be dreary in their Presence; and we came Home to our hot roast Mutton with red Noses, blue Fingers, and tip-top Spirits. We were to spend the Evening at Roaring House, which I found was where Mr. Heavitree lived. All the Afternoon the Girls were ironing clean Cuffs, and making cherry-coloured Top-knots.
Though we started at Three o'Clock, it was quite Dusk before we got to the old Farm-House; but the ruddy Light of a great Wood Fire through the Diamond-paned Casements made it look cheerfully enough. We had a hearty Country Reception at the Threshold, from Mr. Heavitree, a mighty smart, good-looking young Man, with quite the Air of a Country Gentleman; and from his Sister, Miss Clary, who was a few Years his elder, and who, I had been told as I came along, was soon to be married. There was no other Company than ourselves, except Miss Clary's Lover, and her Father the Squire, and the Village Doctor's Assistant. We spent the Evening in an old Stone Hall, with great unpainted Girders over our Heads, sundry old Brown-Bills and Bows against the Walls, and a roaring Fire on the low Hearth, which reminded me of the Name of the House. We did not want Candles for a good While; we sat about the Hearth and chatted, and had Tea, and great Slices of Plum-Cake; after that, we danced to warm our Feet, the Squire playing the Fiddle; and then we had Hide-and-Seek and Hunt-the-Slipper, to please the young Bowerbanks, and then each was called on for a Song; and after that, we told Stories of Ghosts, Murders, Robberies, hidden Treasures, and such-like, till we quite scared ourselves and one another. Then the Squire would begin one and another funny Story with, "I'll tell you what I did when I was a Boy;" and he clapped his Hands after every Song, and laughed at every Story. I never saw an old Gentleman take so hugely to young People; and when nobody was minding him, he would stand before the Fire with his Hands in his Pockets, humming "Oh, the Days when I was young!" and hem away a Sigh. We had Forfeits; and when young Mr. Heavitree was bidden, "Bow to the prettiest, kneel to the wittiest, and kiss whom he loved best," he kneeled to me, and kissed Gatty, which put her out and made her very red; and I heard her say in her quiet Way, "That's going too far." We had Turkey and Mince-Pies for Supper, and hot Elder-Wine and Toast afterwards, to fortify us, they said, against the Cold. The Squire wished he were young enough to see us Home, but since he wasn't, Jack would do as well. So Mr. Jack, that's Mr. Heavitree, went out to put on his great Coat, and came back laughing, and said the Ground was covered with Snow! And so indeed it was, but we trudged through it merrily enough. Next Day, however, the Snow fell so fast all Day, that we were kept in Doors, and Gatty worked hard at Mrs. Arbuthnot's last Apron, till she finished it. I wrote Home, it being the first Opportunity; for the Post only went out of Larkfield three Times a Week: and that was once oftener, Mrs. Bowerbank said, than when she was first married.
There was much Conjecture bestowed as to whether the Heavitrees would come in the Evening to return our Visit, according to Promise. Gatty thought they would not; all the others thought they would, and the two youngest Girls spent the best of the Morning in making Cakes. The young People came, without the Squire, and we had a pleasant Evening, but not so lively as the last, partly because the Parlour was so much smaller than the Hall, and partly because Mrs. Bowerbank was not so convivial and humorous as the Squire.
After this, came two or three Days of incessant Snow; and after the Snow, a Frost. All were glad the Snow left off falling, because we were expected at Roaring House, and Mrs. Bowerbank said she could not consent to our going if the Snow continued to fall. So we made our Preparations full early; and meantime, a Servant who had been into Larkfield and had called at the Post-Office, among other Places, (it being the principal Linen-Draper's and Tea-Grocer's of the Town,) brought Gatty a Letter from Lady Betty, which had been lying there a Day and a Half, and the Contents of which threw us all into Flurry and Dismay.
My Lady wrote, in a very few Words, by another Hand, to desire Mrs. Gatty would return to her Duties immediately, for that Madam Pompon had left.
This was a sad Blow to us all: poor Gatty could not help crying; and we all cried to keep her Company. Lady Betty would not have been much flattered, could she have seen the Reception her Letter got. "Oh, poor Gatty! poor Gatty!" resounded on all Sides; but after intermingling Kisses and Tears, she was the first to pluck up Courage, and say we were only making Things worse by grieving, and she would pack up at once, to be ready for the Morning Coach, and then think nothing more about it till the Time came. So her Sisters dispersed, to dress for our Party, and Gatty and I went up-Stairs to do the same, and pack her Box; several Times in the Course of doing which, she burst out crying; and I thought I had never beheld a Girl so loth to quit Home, nor so resolved to do her Duty.
At length we set off; and when we got to Roaring House, there was pretty much the same Thing over again, for Jokes and Laughing were exchanged for Lamentations; and the Gaiety of the Evening was completely clouded. I cannot help thinking, however, that it was Balm to Gertrude's Heart to find herself so unaffectedly sympathised with: the Squire patted her on the Shoulder several Times, and called her "poor Girl," and "dear Gatty;" Miss Clary more than once shed a Tear; and Mr. Heavitree seemed quite mute and confounded.
We prolonged our Visit as late as we could; and when we dared stay no longer, the Squire and Miss Clary insisted on adding many additional Wraps to our own; he producing some prodigious large Silk Pocket-handkerchiefs, which he tied himself over our Heads and under our Chins, like Capouchins, giving each a Kiss as a Finish; and striving moreover to persuade each of us to wear a Pair of his thick Shoes over our own, and stuff up the Difference between them with Rag and brown Paper. While urging Pen to this, his Son came in from the outer Hall, looking deadly pale; and hit his Head violently against an old Tortoiseshell-Cabinet, which he ran against without intending it.
"Measure your Distance better, Jack," says his Father, "or, what with black Eyes and red Eyes, there won't be a Pair of Eyes in the Hall worth looking at. Bless thee, Child!" very kindly to Gatty, as she stept up to bid him Good-bye. "Keep thy good Heart and good Looks, whatever thou dost;" and so, kissed her twice. Gatty dropped a Tear on his Hand; he looked at it quickly, then at her attentively; and giving her Hand a final Shake, pushed her gently away, saying, "There, go; go along; and God's Blessing go with thee."