“No, no,” she answered; “I can find my way perfectly well alone, and shall not meet with an accident if there are no wheelbarrows or rakes in the way,” and rising, she proceeded at a slow pace towards the house.
May told Harry how anxious she had been on hearing of his being wounded by highwaymen—how grateful she felt to him for having endeavoured to recover Jacob. Then Harry told her how, day by day, he had heard of her from the doctor, and how the knowledge that she was getting better did more to restore him than anything else. He refrained from telling her, as long as he could, what he knew would give her pain—that he was appointed to a ship which he must soon join. At length, however, he had to communicate the information.
“But May,” he added, “if you will consent at once to be mine, we would marry before I go, and then no human power can separate us.”
“Harry,” she exclaimed, gazing at him fixedly as they sat on the bench together, “I had not thought that the time for parting would be so soon. You know my regard; but I must not tempt you to act contrary to what I fear are your father’s wishes, and by so doing run the risk of injuring your prospects in life, and your advancement in your profession. Your father has been here, and has expressed his opinions strongly to Miss Jane, and she has told me all he said. I shall be as truly yours as if we were married, and you will thus avoid offending him, whose wishes you are bound to respect. My thoughts will be ever with you, my prayers hourly offered up for your safety, and I shall live in hopes that the obstacles which now exist to our union will be removed when you return. Your father may relent when he finds that you are constant, and I know you will be;” and she smiled as she gazed at his countenance, and felt the impossibility of his changing.
“But I know him so well that even then I am sure he will refuse his consent on the same grounds that he does now. Will you still believe that you ought not to marry me?” exclaimed her lover.
“Oh, Harry, do not press me for an answer,” answered May. “I wish to do what is right, and your cousins tell me, and my conscience assures me that they are right, that I must not become yours while your parents object to your marrying me. I must not encourage you to do what is wrong, and expose you to your father’s anger. And, Harry, though I am not proud, I could not consent to enter a family who would treat me with contempt, and consider that you had lowered yourself by marrying me.”
“Oh, May, I did not expect to have this reply from you,” he exclaimed at last, in a tone of bitter disappointment.
“I have spoken as I believe to be right, and therefore it must be for the best,” said May, trying to calm her agitation. “How I might have acted without wise counsellors, I cannot say. Do not urge me further; I dare not, I cannot give a different reply.”
In vain Harry endeavoured to induce May to alter her determination, although he reasoned as an ardent lover who was not willing to be convinced. May was not surprised that Harry should argue the point, perhaps she was pleased at his doing so; but, being satisfied that she was right, the very fact that her feelings prompted her to act differently assisted her to hold to her resolution. Harry was inclined to be angry, not with her, that seemed impossible, but with his cousins for advising her as they had done. He considered his father tyrannical and unjust in the matter, and he was even less disposed than ever to obey him. May endeavoured to soothe him. She succeeded at last. She spoke of the future when there might be no impediment to their happiness. They were both still very young, and when Harry had become a commander, or obtained his post rank, they might realise their wish of living in just such a cottage as Downside, and enjoy all the happiness their mutual love could afford.
They were interrupted by the appearance of Miss Jane and Julia. The latter had taken more note of time than had Harry, and considered that they ought to be on their return to Texford.