'
'But with her? and at Sebastopol!'
'That's the very thing'' cried the colonel, again turning about.
'Nothing will serve her but to show how a backwoodsman's daughter can
live in a hut.'
'And what will the general say?'
'The general,' cried Emily, 'will endure me better as a fact than as
a prospect; and we will teach him that a lady is not all made of
nerves and of fancies! See what he will say if we let him into our
paradise!'
Fred brightened, though Albinia's inquiry had for a moment taken him
a little aback. The one being whom he dreaded was General Ferrars,
for whom he cared a thousand times more than for his own elder
brother, and he was soon speculating, with his usual insouciance, as
to how his announcement might have been received by his lordship, and
whether the aunts would look at them as they went through London.
Mr. Kendal met them at the gate, amazed at the avalanche of luggage,
but well pleased, for he had grown very fond of Fred, and had been
very anxious about him, thinking him broken and enfeebled for life,
and hardly expecting him to return from his mad expedition. He was
slow to believe his eyes and ears when he beheld a hale, handsome,
vigorous man, full of life and activity, but his welcome and
congratulations were of the warmest. He could far better stand a
sudden inroad than if he had had to meditate for a week on
entertaining the bride. Not that the bride wanted entertainment,
except waiting upon her husband, who let himself be many degrees less
handy than at Malta, for the pleasure of her attentions.
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