When every thing likely to be wanted had been put aside, in order to be taken over the way when night had flung her convenient mantle upon these neighbourly doings, the three young people adjourned to the breakfast-room, where Mrs. Palmer was so deeply engaged in reading a newly-received letter, that, to the surprise of all, she did not raise her eyes from the paper to ask "what they had fixed upon?"—and, as she proceeded, her continual interjections of "dear me!—poor creature!—noble fellow!" showed how deeply she was absorbed in the perusal.
"What can you have got hold of, mamma?" cried Mrs. Gooch; "you look as anxious as Tom does when an apology comes for delaying payments."
"Why, my dear, I have got a very kind and really a very interesting letter from a young lord, whom I never expected to remember me."
"A young lord! I never knew you had such an acquaintance!"
"Yet you must remember Augusta Hales, for you were very attentive to her."
"Of course, I remember the poor girl you brought home to die here, when you married papa. I used to think you loved her better than us, which made me angry; but I loved her myself, notwithstanding. She was a sweet creature, and, as I now recollect, was the Honourable Augusta Hales."
"This letter is from her brother Frederic; a lovely boy he was then—so was his brother Arthur; but he
