Without being vain, Headland could not help discovering that Julia seemed happy in his society. As she sang that evening he looked over her music, and asked her to sing a ballad, which described the grief of a maiden whose sailor lover had fallen in the hour of victory. Julia hesitated, and tears sprung to her eyes as she turned them towards the young officer, while he placed the music before her. She quickly recovered herself, but he would have been blind had he not observed that there was a tenderness in her manner towards him, though she apparently was unaware of it.
After the ladies had retired, Harry invited Headland to take a stroll through the grounds to enjoy the moonlight. Harry did not speak till they had got to some distance from the house.
“You remember, Headland, the advice you gave me yesterday,” he said at length. “I would have followed it, much as it might have cost me, had I found May indifferent to my affection, but she has confessed that she loves me, and nothing shall prevent me from making her my wife. If you saw her, you would agree that she is well worthy of the most devoted love a man can give, and I will do my utmost to make her happy. There may be opposition, but that I am resolved to overcome, unless she herself changes her sentiments, and that, I think, is impossible. You, I know, will stand my friend, whatever may occur.”
“Of course I will, Harry, though I fear I can give you but little assistance,” said Headland. “I am very unwilling to run the risk of hurting your feelings, but, my dear fellow, are you certain that the mutual affection which you tell me exists is as deep on both sides as you say? You were struck by the girl’s beauty, and she is flattered by your attentions. Perhaps if you were to be separated for a time, and mixed in society, you would find them more evanescent than you are at present disposed to believe possible.”
“I am very certain that I love her as much as a man can love a woman, and that I should be miserable if I were to be doomed to lose her,” answered Harry, firmly. “I can only judge by what she says and how she looks, and by my knowledge of her character, which is perfect in every respect, and, I am sure, one of the most valuable of qualities, constancy is not wanting in it. My cousins, who have known her from her childhood, highly esteem her, and bestow on her the love as to the nearest relative. What more can I say? I must get you to come and be introduced to her. Will you ride over with me to-morrow? and if you do not agree with me, never trust my opinion again.”
“I promised to row your sister on the lake to-morrow—she wishes to sketch,” said Headland, “or I should be glad to accept your invitation.”
“I won’t ask you to break such an engagement,” said Harry, smiling archly; “but if you and Julia will ride over in the afternoon, I will come back and meet you, for I want my sister to become better acquainted with May.”
“I shall be at Miss Castleton’s service, and will gladly accompany her,” said Headland.
The two friends continued pacing up and down the moonlight walk. Harry, knowing Julia’s secret, would liked to have ascertained his friend’s feelings towards her. He was certain that he admired her, but aware how diffident he was in consequence of his position, he was very doubtful whether he would venture to tell her so. Harry’s respect for his sister prevented him from even suggesting the probability that he would not be refused should he make her an offer. From everything Headland said, however, Harry felt convinced that he only required encouragement to do so.
The following morning Julia appeared with her sketch-book.