Casilda his attentions, till Louisa began to think that run away she must in her own defence.
Mrs. Palmer had, however, arranged differently. "I am sure," said she, "Palm and myself are the last persons in the world to encourage children in being undutiful to their parents; but there's reason in every thing. If children are to be dutiful, parents ought to respect that duty. If Lady Anne had one reasonable objection to the marriage, I would not say a word. If it were imprudent, and in the thoughtlessness of youth you were about to plunge each other in difficulties that neither were fit to encounter; if she objected to your character, or thought that your temper would not make her daughter comfortable, I should say she was right in her opposition. But she takes no care for the happiness of her child, who has always been loving and dutiful, and she would rather have her a countess, neglected, ill-matched, the purchase of a selfish and bad-tempered man, than your happy and affectionate wife."
"She will be happy, if I can make her so," said the lover, earnestly.
"Now Palm and I," continued the kind-hearted old lady, "have been thinking, that, though, perhaps, Louisa might not like to marry from this very house, just opposite to her mother's, who must see her get into the carriage to go to church, it would seem like setting her at defiance; still why might not she be married from my daughter's, Mrs. Gooch?"
