University of Virginia Library

21. CHAPTER XXI.
A NEW PLACE.

When Rebecca awoke she found herself greatly
refreshed, and arose with a heart deeply impressed
with gratitude to Mrs. Harris, who had thus
unexpectedly delivered her from the worst of all evils.
She went down stairs, and as she was taking her breakfast
began to talk of what she must do in future. I had
some intention of returning to my mother, (said she)
but I think now I had rather endeavour to get a place.
I have but a trisle in my purse, but by writing to Lincolnshire
I can have my trunks returned, and I have
some money in them, and I will beg your acceptance
of part of it for the eminent service you have
rendered me; in the meantime I shall be much obliged
to you if you could recommend me to a place, if you
heard of any thing which you thought would suit me.”

Mrs. Harris and her friend gave our heroine a cordial
invitation to remain with them till she could hear
from her mother, and promised to inquire for a place
which might suit her abilities, as she seemed to wish to
wait on a very young lady, or be companion to an elderly
one, as she was certain her constitution would not
suffer her to engage with a woman of fashion, who kept
a great deal of company and late hours, of which she
had experienced a sufficient specimen in Lady Ossiter.

Rebecca addressed a letter to her mother, briefly informing
her she had left her Lady and was in quest of
another place. That she had at first intended to return
home, and to that end had forwarded her trunk,
which she requested might be sent to town again by the
first conveyance. In about four days she received the
following answer.

“I am sorry to find you have left Lady Ossiter as I
imagine you must have grossly offended her Ladyship

before she could have parted with you, as you was such
a favorite with her mother; however, Rebecca, you
chose to leave your father's house, and to conduct yourself
by the advice of strangers, you therefore know best
child, what you are about; I shall not take upon me to
advise, where my advice will be disregarded. As to
coming into the country, I think it would be putting
yourself to a needless expence, as I know you would never
be happy to stay here: and sensible as I was of
that, you cannot wonder I have chosen a companion
and protector for myself, and by uniting with the worthy
Mr. Serle, have upon his daughter and family a claim
to those tendernesses and attentions I in vain expected
from my own child. Mr. Serle went to the inn and inquired
for your trunk, but we can hear nothing of it;
you must therefore inquire for it at the inn from whence
the coach sets out in London.

“As you always were, or pretended to be a little
philosopher, I have no doubt but you will get very
well through the world; and you have youth and a
good constitution on your side. I shall always be glad
to hear of your welfare; above all things, Rebecca, be
modest and virtuous, and mind your religious duties,
as your poor father and I always taught you; and never
forget that you have a mother who loves you, and to
whom all your duty and respect is due. Mr. Serle and
Miss Peggy desire me to give their best wishes to you,
though they have no acquaintance with you.

Rebecca's sensations, on the receipt of this letter,
are better imagined than described. Scarcely fix months
had elapsed since the death of her father, and her mother
was married again—that mother, who, but a short
time since, had declared, that to be suspected capable of
admitting a second partner, was an insult that hurt her
feelings excessively.

Rebecca now felt that she was in reality a poor solitary
being, without a home, and almost without a friend;

to be sure Mrs. Harris had been very kind to her, but
could she expect that kindness to last when she had lost
the power of making her any recompense. However
she determined to make some inquiry concerning her
trunk, and to that end requested Mrs. Harris to accompany
her; but all the tidings she could learn was,
that the coachman had left it in the country, and that
he had since heard it had been taken away by a person
who said he came from Miss Littleton herself, with orders
to pay all necessary expences.

“Was there any thing of much value in the trunk?”
said Mrs. Harris.

“Alas!” cried Rebecca, “there was the greatest
part of my clothes, and a five hundred pound bank
note, which I had to keep for a person who is gone
abroad.”

“Pray, child, what kind of a man is this father-in-law
of your's?”

“Indeed I can hardly tell you; he never visited my
father during his life, nor did I ever see him above twice,
except at church; he has been a widower some years,
and has one daughter; he is an attorney by profession,
but I believe he had never much practice.”

“Perhaps your mother's annuity was the object that
invited this marriage.”

“It may be so, but I can hardly think it, for at the
utmost it is not more than forty pounds year. My
mother has an agreeable person, and lively manner; I
do not think it improbable but he may have married
her for love.”

“I do not think it improbable but he has got your
trunk.”

“Dear, Mrs. Harris, how can you suggest such a
thing; you quite shock me.”

“Shock you or not, I think that is really the case,
and I would advise you to pursue legal methods to discover
it.”

“No,” cried Rebecca, resolutely, “never; I cannot
bring myself to suspect that my mother would unite
herself to a man capable of such an action, and if that

were really the case, I hope I have too high a sense of
silial respect to attempt exposing her to the malicious
censures of a world, who would not fail to involve her,
however innocent, in her husband's guilt. My own interest
shall ever give way to her peace of mind, for she
was the chosen companion, the bosom friend of the best
of fathers, and though she seems to have forgot that I am
her child, I can never forget she is my mother.”

“All this may be very clever, for what I know,” said
Mrs. Harris, “but I am sure, in my opinion, it is very
ridiculous. You will find, my poor simple child, your
six guineas will go but a little way towards buying you
clothes fit for a decent place; however, we must not
meet troubles half way, it will be time enough when you
have got a place, to think about preparing to go to it;
but I have an acquaintance lives in this street, who perhaps
may have it in her power to help you to something.”

They called on the person mentioned, who was lady's
woman in an opulent merchant's family. Mrs. Harris
mentioned Rebecca's intentions, and learnt that there
was a country lady, then on a visit to this family, who had
parted with her maid, and was in want of one to supply
her place. Rebecca thought she could venture to take
such a situation in a regular quiet family. She was introduced
to the Lady, who, struck with her lovely person
and modest demeanour, conceived an instant prepossession
in her favour, and engaged her, upon liberal terms,
to enter her service on that day week.

Rebecca selt extremely happy that she should no longer
be a burden upon the kind Mrs. Harris, and eagerly
set about preparing as well as the narrow state of her finances
would allow, to take possession of her new place.

Mrs. Barton (the name of Rebecca's mistress) was a
pleasing lively brunette, about twenty years old. She
had married, when very young, contrary to the advice
of her friends, a young man of small fortune and rather
flightly character, but she had twenty thousand pounds
at her own disposal, and her motto was, “All for love.”

Barton was really attached to her in the first years of
their marriage, but his temper was too versatile to belong

constant to any thing, he in time grew cool, and often
played her false, but she was of such an even, cheerful,
unsuspecting temper, so unaffectedly tender, so attentive
to his interest, and studious of his peace, that he found
it impossible to treat her with unkindness, so that there
was always an appearance of much cordiality between
them, for though she could not shut her eyes and ears
upon his infidelities, she wisely concluded it was prudent
sometimes to be wilfully deaf and blind, and that if good
humour would not reclaim him, ill humour would certainly
make him worse.

With this couple Rebecca went into Shropshire, a few
weeks after she entered Mrs. Barton's service. Their
house was a venerable gothic building, situated in the
midst of a beautiful park, and had fallen to Mrs. Barton
on the death of her godfather, from whom also she
inherited her independent fortune. Rebecca found herself
much at her ease, Mrs. Barton was very kind to her,
and finding she possessed an intelligent mind, often made
her the companion of her rambles about the grounds and
adjacent country. Mr. Barton troubled his lady but little
with his company, except at meals, and sometimes not
then: nay, he even went so far as to sleep from home several
nights in the week; and this being a liberty he had
never before taken, without his wife being informed of
the cause, she felt herself really uncasy, and, though
when he was present she assumed her usual cheerfulness,
it was impossible to conquer her feelings, so as not to
let her chagrin and mortification appear to Rebecca,
who sincerely pitied, and by every affiduity in her power,
endeavoured to amuse and entertain her. Mrs. Barton
kept but little company; she was fond of reading,
drawing, music, and fancy works; in these she discovered
Rebecca's taste and knowledge, and many was the
heavy hour she beguiled in joining the labours of her lady,
improving her judgment, and with the sweetest diffidence
and humility correcting her errors.

In the mean time Lord Ossiter provoked beyond
measure, that a scheme he had imagined infallible,
should have proved totally abortive, dispatched his faithful

valet off to Lincolnshire, in hopes to find the fair
fugitive there, and get her once more into his power;
but here he was again foiled; for though Rebecca had
wrote to her mother, that she had engaged with a Mrs.
Barton, yet she had not mentioned in what part of the
country the family usually resided, so that the faithful
ambassador returned to his disappointed Lord without
the least conciliatory intelligence.