She was evidently half afraid of
Algernon, and would breathe more freely when he was not at hand; but
then a restlessness would come on if he did not appear as soon as she
expected, as if she dreaded having offended him. She had violent
bursts of remorseful tears, and great outpourings of fondness towards
every one at home, and she positively did look ill enough to justify
Algernon in saying that the present condition of matters was hurtful
to her. Still she could not endure a word that remotely tended
towards advising her to break off the engagement, or even to retard
the wedding, and her admiration of her intended was unabated.
Indeed, his affection could not be doubted; he liked her adoration of
all his performances, and he regarded her with beneficent protection,
as a piece of property; he made her magnificent presents, and
conceded to her that the wedding tour should not be beyond Clifton,
whence they would return to Willow Lawn, and judge ere deciding on
going abroad.
He said that it would be 'de bon ton' to have the marriage strictly
private. Even he saw the incongruity of festivity alongside of that
chamber of decay and death; and besides, he had conceived such a
distaste to the Drury family, that he had signified to Lucy that they
must not make part of the spectacle.
Albinia and Sophy thought this so impertinent, that they manfully
fought the battles of the Drurys, but without prevailing; Albinia
took her revenge, by observing that this being the case, it was
impossible to ask her brother and little Mary, whose well-sounding
names she knew Algernon ambitionated for the benefit of the county
paper.
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