This young lady says nothing in excuse for not meeting me on the road, or St. Alban's, as he had made me expect she would: yet mentions her having been indisposed. Mr. Lovelace had also told me, that Lord M. was ill of the gout; which Miss Montague's letter confirms.
But why did not the man show me these letters last night? Was he afraid of giving me too much pleasure?
LETTER XXXI
MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE
You may believe, my dear, that these letters put me in good humour with him. He saw it in my countenance, and congratulated himself upon it. Yet I cannot but repeat my wonder, that I could not have the contents of them communicated to me last night.*
* The reader will see how Miss Howe accounts for this, in Letter XXXV.
He then urged me to go directly to Lady Betty's, on the strength of her letter.
But how, said I, can I do that, were I even out of all hope of a reconciliation with my friends, (which yet, however unlikely to be effected, is my duty to attempt,) as her Ladyship has given me no particular invitation?
That, he was sure, was owing to her doubt that it would be accepted—Else she had done it with the greatest pleasure in the world.