Julia felt deeply grieved. She was afraid of irritating him by replying as her feelings prompted.
“My dear brother,” she answered, “we will not discuss the subject, but believe me I will endeavour to seek for guidance, and trust that I shall be led aright in the matter.”
“But what you think right our father and I may consider very wrong,” exclaimed Algernon, petulantly. “You ought to promise to discard the fellow at once when you know how we object to your marrying him.”
“I have promised our father not to marry Captain Headland without his sanction, and let me entreat you to rest satisfied with that,” answered Julia, looking out anxiously for the return of the servant.
“But I want to be satisfied that you never will marry him,” exclaimed Algernon. “It is still more important, as Harry has taken it into his head to fall in love with this pretty little protégé of our cousins, and he is such a determined fellow that I should not be surprised if he marries her notwithstanding all opposition.”
“I am not surprised that Harry should have fallen in love with her, for she is a lovely girl, and every time I have seen her I have admired her more and more: her love and devotion to our poor cousins is most admirable; but still even she would not consent to marry Harry without our father’s permission, and would not, I think, act in direct opposition to our parents.”
“Whether he does or does not, that will not alter your position with regard to Headland,” said Algernon, returning to the subject from which Julia had hoped to escape. “Harry would raise his wife to his own station; you will be lowered by marrying a man like Headland.”
“That is impossible,” exclaimed Julia, indignantly. “I should be raised to the station which he has gained by his courage and gallantry; no lady in the land could be degraded by marrying him. I did not wish to say this to you, Algernon,” she added, seeing the flush of anger rising on his pale brow.
“I see how it will be,” he said, after he had recovered from another fit of coughing, “you will prove as obstinate as Harry.”
Fortunately the servant returned with the flowers, which the poor invalid let drop by his side after looking at them for a moment. Julia signed to the man to wheel her brother home, for she felt very anxious at the change she had observed since they left the house. He with difficulty reached his room, but never again left it.