Page:The Semi-attached Couple.djvu/155

 wife, and the other at sea. From some scruples about the will, not worth explaining, Mary is convinced that her brothers' claims are as good as her own; at least, so she chooses to say; and as she came of age two months ago, she has written to them, giving each of them a third of the property. I do not know the exact sum, but I believe she will have nearly £30,000 herself, which she says is quite enough for her."

"And does she really mean to give away £60,000? Well! she is a noble creature; I am in the humour just now to give her credit for every virtue under heaven; but I would rather not see her again. Can't you, dearest Nell, make the humblest apologies for me, and crown the whole by saying that as I am sure she must hate the sight of me, I have taken myself off to London?"

"Oh, no! dear Beaufort, you do not really mean you are going? that would be too absurd."

"But the best thing I can do. I shall look so foolish when I see her; and there is that blockhead. La Grange, to make his ungrammatical remarks on us; and, as I said before, she must hate the sight of me."

"No, indeed, she does not! perhaps she does not like you much at this moment, but it will all soon be forgotten. She is now waiting for me in my garden, to which she went that she might escape poor dear Lady Portmore."

"Ah! it is more than half Lady Portmore's fault. She will sit gossiping for an hour over the breakfast-table; and somehow people are always ill-natured at that early time of the day—bilious, I suppose; but those empty egg-cups and dirty plates always hear a great deal of scandal, and then Lady Portmore likes to dénigrer her dear friends."

"Well, never mind now; come with me to the garden, and make your speech of regret, etc."

"Oh, no, not with you, Nell! I could not say a word if you were standing by."