The gentle tap that Mrs Hart, fearing to disturb her, gave at the door of Flora, deceived the expecting girl into a belief that Sir Lyell was at length arrived; and crying, in a low voice, as she opened it, ‘O Sir! how long you have been coming!’ she stared at sight of Mrs Hart, with an amazement equal to her disappointment.
Presently, however, with a dejected look and tone, ‘Well, now!’ she cried, ‘is it only you, Mrs Hart?—I thought it had been somebody quite different!’
Mrs Hart, entering, enquired, with surprize, why Miss Ellis had said that Miss Pierson was ill, when, on the contrary, she had never seen her look better.
‘Well, now, Miss Ellis,’ cried Flora, whispering Juliet, ‘did not I tell you, as plain as could be, ’twas nothing but make believe?’
Juliet, without offering any apology, answered, that she had invited Mrs Hart to make her a visit.
‘Why, now, what can you be thinking of?’ cried Flora, angrily: ‘Why, you know, as well as can be, that I want to see nobody! Why, have you forgot all I told you, already, about you know who? Why I never knew the like! Why he’ll be fit to kill himself! I’ll never tell you any thing again, if you beg me on your knees! so there’s the end to your knowing any more of my secrets! and you’ve nobody but yourself to thank, if it vexes you never so!’
Mrs Hart interrupted this murmuring, by enquiring who was the Sir that Miss Pierson expected; adding that, if it were the shop-man, it would be more proper Miss Pierson should go down stairs, than that she should let him come up to her room.
‘The shop-man?’ repeated Flora, simpering, and winking at Juliet; ‘no, indeed, Mrs Hart; you have not made a very good guess there! Has she, Miss Ellis? I don’t think a man of quality, and a baronet, is very like a shop-man! Do you, Miss Ellis?’
This blundering simplicity of vanity was not lost upon Mrs Hart. ‘O ho!’ she cried, ‘you expect a baronet, do you, then, Miss Pierson? Why there were no less than two Baronets in the shop as I came through, just now; and there’s one of them this minute crossing the way, and turning the corner.’
‘O Me! is he gone, then?’ cried Flora, looking out of the window. ‘O Me! what shall I do? O Miss Ellis! this is all your fault! And now, perhaps, he’ll be so angry he’ll never speak to me again! And if he don’t, ten to one but it may break my heart! for that often happens when one’s crossed in love. And if it does, I sha’n’t thank you for it, I assure you! And it’s just as likely as not!’
Juliet, though she sought to appease both her grief and her wrath, could not but rejoice that their unguarded redundance informed Mrs Hart of the whole history: and Mrs Hart, who, though a plain, appeared to be a very worthy woman, immediately endeavoured to save the poor young creature, from the snares into which she was rather wilfully jumping, than deludedly falling, by giving her a pressing invitation to her own house for the rest of the day. But to this, neither entreaty nor reproof could obtain consent. Flora, like many who seem gentle, was only simple; and had neither docility nor comprehension for being turned aside from the prosecution of her wishes. To be thwarted in any desire, she considered as cruelty, and resented as ill treatment. She refused, therefore, to leave the house, while hoping for the return of Sir Lyell; and continued her childish wailing and fretting, till accident led her eyes to a favourite little box; when, her tears suddenly stopping, and her face brightening, she started up, seized, opened it, and, displaying a very pretty pair of ear-rings, exclaimed, ‘Oh, I have never shewn you my presents, Miss Ellis! And now Mrs Hart may have a peep at them, too. So she’s in pretty good luck, I think!’
And then, with exulting pleasure, she produced all the costly trinkets that she had received from Sir Lyell; with some few, less valuable, which had been presented to her by Sir Jaspar; and all the baubles, however insignificant or babyish, that had been bestowed upon her by her friends and relatives, from her earliest youth. And these, with the important and separate history of each, occupied, unawares, her time, till the return of Miss Matson.
Mrs Hart then descended, and, urged by Juliet, briefly and plainly communicated the situation and the danger of the young apprentice.
Miss Matson, affrighted for the credit of her shop, determined to send for the mother of Flora, who resided at Lewes, the next day.
Relieved now from her troublesome and untoward charge, Juliet had her door opened, and re-took possession of her room.
And there, a new view of her own helpless and distressed condition, filled and dejected her with new alarm. The licentiously declared purpose of Sir Lyell had been shocking to her ears; and the consciousness that he knew that she was informed of his intention added to its horrour, from her inability to shew her resentment, in the only way that suited her character or her disposition, that of positively seeing him no more. But how avoid him while she had no other means of subsistence than working in an open shop?
The following morning but too clearly justified her apprehensive prognostics, of the improprieties to which her defenceless state made her liable. At an early hour, Sir Lyell, gay, courteous, gallant, entered the shop, under pretence of enquiring for Sir Jaspar; whom he knew to be invisible, from his infirmities, to all but his own nurses and servants, till noon. Miss Matson was taciturn and watchful, though still, from the fear of making an enemy, respectful; while Flora, simpering and blushing, was ready to jump into his arms, in her eagerness to apologize for not having waited alone for him, according to his directions: but he did not look at Miss Matson, though he addressed her; nor address Flora, though, by a side glance, he saw her expectations; his attention, from the moment that he had asked, without listening to any answe............