Julia, not wishing that her father should discover her secret, took care not to invite Headland to walk with her in the grounds when Sir Ralph was likely to meet them, and as he seldom went far from the house on foot there was little probability of his doing so.
As Mr Curtis told Sir Ralph that Harry must be kept quiet for a few days, he did not allude to his visit, and Harry was therefore left in doubt as to the result.
The next time the surgeon came, Harry asked whether he had been again at Downside.
“I tell you there is nothing seriously the matter with the young lady, though she does not recover as rapidly as I had expected; her nervous system seems slightly affected. However, there is no fear, and in a few days she will be round.”
If the doctor knew more of the true state of the case, he did not think fit to communicate it to Harry.
Such was the state of things when the post brought two official letters from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, appointing Commander Headland to the Thisbe sloop-of-war, and Lieutenant Castleton to the Aurora frigate, with orders to join their respective ships at once. It was the first day Harry had come down.
“I congratulate you, gentlemen,” said Sir Ralph in a tone Harry did not like. “You will both soon see active service, for, depend upon it, Napoleon will not let us remain long at peace.”
Poor Julia, turning pale, nearly betrayed herself.
“I am obliged to their lordships; I scarcely expected to get a ship so soon,” replied Headland, who did not exhibit that enthusiastic pleasure which might have been expected on being appointed to his first command.
“I should have been more obliged to them if they had appointed me to the same ship,” said Harry. “You, I daresay, can manage to do it,” he added, turning to his father. “Possibly the lieutenants may not as yet have been selected.”