“To Elmwood House?” she asked eagerly.
“No, to my house in town, where I intend to be all the winter, and where we shall live together.”
She turned her face on the pillow to conceal tears of joy, but her sobs revealed them.
“Come,” said he, “this kiss is a token you have nothing to fear.” And he kissed her affectionately. “I shall send for Miss Woodley too immediately,” continued he.
“Oh! I shall be overjoyed to see her, my Lord—and to see Mr. Sandford—and even Mr. Rushbrook.”
“Do you know him?” said Lord Elmwood.
“Yes,” she replied, “I have seen him two or three times.”
The Earl hoping the air might be a means of re-establishing her strength and spirits, now left the room, and ordered his carriage to be prepared: while she arose, attended by one of his female servants, for whom he had sent to town, to bring such changes of apparel as were requisite.
When Matilda was ready to join her father in the next room, she felt a tremor seize her, that made it almost impossible to appear before him. No other circumstance now impending to agitate her heart, she felt more forcibly its embarrassment at meeting on terms of easy intercourse, him, of whom she had never been used to think, but with that distant reverence and fear, which his severity had excited; and she knew not how she should dare to speak to, or look on him, with that freedom her affection warranted.
After several efforts to conquer these nice and refined sensations, but to no purpose, she at last went to his apartment. He was reading; but as she entered, he put out his hand and drew her to him. Her tears wholly overcame her. He could have intermingled his—but assuming a grave countenance, he commanded her to desist from exhausting her spirits; and, after a few powerful struggles, she obeyed.