University of Virginia Library

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.