Her silence, and that absence of mind which she betrayed, made Arabella conclude she was under some very great affliction; and, to amuse her after dinner, led her into the gardens, supposing a person whose uneasiness, as she did not doubt, proceeded from love, would be pleased with the sight of groves and streams, and be tempted to disclose her misfortunes while they wandered in that agreeable privacy. In this, however, she was deceived; for though the young lady sighed several times, yet, when she did speak, it was only of indifferent things, and not at all in the manner of an afflicted heroine.
After observing upon a thousand trifles, she told Arabella, at last, to whom she was desirous of making known her alliance to quality, that these gardens were extremely like those of her father's-in-law, the Duke of ——, at ——.
At this intimation, she expected Arabella would be extremely surprised; but that lady, whose thoughts were always familiarised to objects of grandeur, and would not have been astonished if she had understood her guest was the daughter of a king, appeared so little moved, that the lady was piqued by her indifference; and, after a few moments' silence, began to mention going away.
Arabella, who was desirous of retaining her a few days, entreated her so obligingly to favour her with her company for some time in her solitude, that the other could not refuse: and dispatching her woman to the house where she lodged, to inform them of her stay at the castle, would have dispensed with her coming again to attend her, had not Arabella insisted upon the contrary.
The reserve which the daughter-in-law of the Duke of —— still continued to maintain, notwithstanding the repeated expressions of friendship Arabella used to her, increased her curiosity to know her adventures, which she was extremely surprised she had never offered to relate; but attributing her silence upon this head to her modesty, she was resolved, as was the custom in those cases, to oblige her woman, who, she presumed, was her confidante, to relate her lady's history to her; and sending for this person one day, when she was alone, to attend her in her closet, she gave orders to her women, if the fair stranger came to enquire for her, to say she was then busy, but would wait on her as soon as possible.
After this caution, she ordered Mrs. Morris to be admitted; and, obliging her to sit down, told her she sent for her in order to hear from her the history of her lady's life, which she was extremely desirous of knowing.
Mrs. Morris, who was a person of sense, and had seen the world, was extremely surprised at this request of Arabella, which was quite contrary to the laws of good-breeding; and, as she thought, betrayed a great deal of impertinent curiosity: she could not tell how to account for the free manner in which she desired her to give up her lady's secrets, which, indeed, were not of a nature to be told; and appeared so much confused, that Arabella took notice of it; and supposing it was her bashfulness which caused her embarrassment, she endeavoured to reassure her by the most affable behaviour imaginable.
Mrs. Morris, who was not capable of much fidelity for her lady, being but lately taken into her service, and not extremely fond of her, thought she had now a fine opportunity of recommending herself to Arabella, by telling her all she knew of Miss Groves, for that was her name; and therefore told her, since she was pleased to command it, she would give her what account she was able of her lady; but entreated her to be secret, because it was of great consequence to her, that her affairs should not be known.
I always imagined, said Arabella, that your beautiful mistress had some particular reason for not making herself known, and for coming in this private manner into this part of the country: you may assure yourself therefore, that I will protect her as far as I am able, and offer her all the assistance in my power to give her: therefore you may acquaint me with her adventures, without being apprehensive of a discovery that would be prejudicial to her.
Mrs. Morris, who had been much better pleased with the assurances of a reward for the intelligence she was going to give her, looked a little foolish at these fine promises, in which she had no share; and Arabella, supposing she was endeavouring to recollect all the passages of her lady's life, told her she need not give herself the trouble to acquaint her with any thing that passed during the infancy of her lady, but proceed to acquaint her with matters of greater importance: And since, said she, you have, no doubt, been most favoured with her confidence, you will do me a pleasure to describe to me, exactly, all the thoughts of her soul, as she has communicated them to you, that I may the better comprehend her history.