She had left her horse in charge of the groom,
near the fir-trees on the heights, and came running down the slope in her
habit. Maggie went out to meet her, with just a little wonder at her heart
if what Frank had said could possibly be true; and that Erminia, living in
the house with him, could have remained indifferent to him. Erminia threw
her arms round her neck, and they sat down together on the court-steps.
"I durst not ride down that hill; and Jem is holding my horse, so I may not
stay very long; now begin, Maggie, at once, and go into a rhapsody about
Frank. Is not he a charming fellow? Oh! I am so glad. Now don't sit smiling
and blushing there to yourself; but tell me a great deal about it. I have
so wanted to know somebody that was in love, that I might hear what it was
like; and the minute I could, I came off here. Frank is only just gone. He
has had another long talk with my uncle, since he came back from you this
morning; but I am afraid he has not made much way yet."
Maggie sighed. "I don't wonder at his not thinking me good enough for
Frank.
"No! the difficulty would be to find any one he did think fit for his
paragon of a son."
"He thought you were, dearest Erminia."
"So Frank has told you that, has he? I suppose we shall have no more family
secrets now," said Erminia, laughing. "But I can assure you I had a strong
rival in lady Adela Castlemayne, the Duke of Wight's daughter; she was the
most beautiful lady my uncle had ever seen (he only saw her in the Grand
Stand at Woodchester races, and never spoke a word to her in his life).
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