Mrs. Harewood very strenuously recommended her to procure a good governess for her daughter, as it was hardly to be expected that she could bring herself to part with her only child, otherwise a school might have been more advantageous to a girl of such an active and social disposition; but, above all, she pressed Mrs. Hanson to endeavour to preserve in her that spirit of humility which never fails to produce obedience, subdue passion, and open the mind for the reception and nurture of every virtue.
On the arrival of Mrs. Hanson, Mrs. Harewood had left the real improvements of Matilda to be discovered by circumstances; and as the mother and daughter were seldom apart, she had not spoken of the kind and charitable actions which Matilda had performed, fearful of injuring by praise those blossoms which were now only beginning to expand; but she now dilated on them with pleasure, both to the happy mother and Mrs. Weston; and such was the effect of this discourse on the former, that tears of pleasure and gratitude to Heaven ran down her cheek. Matilda, although still engaged with the child, catching a view of her mother under this emotion, could not forbear running up to her, and tenderly inquired what was the matter.
“Nothing at all, my love, at least nothing painful; we have been speaking of you—I am anxious to engage you a governess.”
“Well, mamma, and will Mrs. Weston be so good as to undertake me?”
The ladies all started, but by no means with any symptom of dismay, although Mrs. Hanson said, with some confusion, to Mrs. Weston—“My little girl takes a great liberty, ma’am, but you must pardon her premature request; she fancies you are an old friend, I believe, because you are her countrywoman.”
“I wish sincerely I had any other claim to being considered her friend, madam, as in that case——”
Mrs. Weston suddenly checked herself, her colour rose, and the tears stood in her eyes.
“Suffer me, my dear friend, to interpret your silence for Mrs. Hanson;—in that case you would not object to undertaking the charge which Matilda has very innocently, though very abruptly, been willing to assign to you?”
“If you are a faithful interpreter, I will call you a most agreeable one,” said Mrs. Hanson, “for Mrs. Weston would be an equal acquisition to both me and my daughter.”
Mrs. Weston wiped her eyes—“Believe me, dear ladies,” said she, “I am grateful for your good opinion, and truly desirous of profiting by your kind offer; but you are both mothers, and will, I am certain, consider my situation as such. I am but newly arrived; it will take some time to wean my poor child from her habits; and to send one so very young to school, is a painful consideration; in a few months I shall be happy indeed to avail myself of your goodness, and enter with pleasure on so promising a task.”