“Why not?” exclaimed Emma, who felt that she must appear to be very foolish, but could not get out of her scrape.
“I can look at myself in the glass at all events.”
“I will try to bring you out something which will give you pleasure,” replied Captain Sinclair, “but as for the fashions, I know you are only joking, by your trusting a person so incompetent as I am to select them.”
“Well, I do not think you would execute my commission very well, so I will not trouble you,” replied Emma; “and now let us know why you are going to England.”
“My dear Emma,” said Mr Campbell, “you ought not to put such questions; Captain Sinclair has his own reasons, I have no doubt.”
“It is very true that I have my own reasons,” replied Captain Sinclair, “and, as I have no secrets, I will with pleasure gratify Emma’s curiosity. I do not know whether you are aware that I was an orphan at a very early age, and have been under the charge of a guardian. When my father died, he left directions in his will that I was not to take possession of my property till I was twenty-five years of age. I was twenty-five years old last year, and my guardian has written requesting me to come home, that he may be relieved of his responsibility, by making over to me the trust which has been confided to him.”
“Will it detain you long?” inquired Mr Campbell.
“It must not. It is very difficult to obtain leave of absence from your regiment in time of war. It is only through interest that I do so now. On my arrival at Quebec, the Governor will put me on his staff, and then he will give me leave. I shall not stay longer than is necessary, as I am anxious to be with my regiment again. You may, therefore, be certain that, if I am spared, I shall be with you again before the winter, if not much sooner. So now if you have really any commission for me to execute, I can only say I shall be most happy to comply with your wishes to the best of my ability.”
“Well,” observed Emma, “we really were not aware that Captain Sinclair was a man of fortune. You think now you will come back,” continued she, gravely, “but if once you get to England, you will remain, and forget all about Canada.”
“My fortune is not very large,” replied Captain Sinclair; “in England, hardly sufficient to induce a young lady of fashion to look upon me, although enough, perhaps, for a sensible woman to be happy upon. My fortune, therefore, will not detain me in England, and, as I said before, my greatest wish is to rejoin my regiment.”