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Chapter 1
Harriet Smith was not a fortunate child. Her mother had been very beautiful, but poor. She had made the big mistake of falling in love with a young man from her neighbourhood. This man was very much attracted to the young lady, but had no intention of marrying her. After all, she did not have much, except her beauty.
Their love affair was not without consequences. As soon as the young woman had found out that she was pregnant, it was decided that she was to go into the country and give birth to her child there. Nobody was to know anything about that matter. The natural father was willing to pay for the child's upbringing and education, provided that his name should never be mentioned.
So, one day in June, a little girl was born. It had been a long and difficult delivery, and the mother did not survive it for long. She lived long enough, however, to see her daughter and to name her. The girl's name was to be Harriet, like her mother's.
Harriet spent the first years of her life on Mrs. Jones's farm. Mrs. Jones was Harriet's nurse and treated her as if she was her own child. Her farm was very small, so she took charge of children to increase her income.
Harriet loved living on the farm. There were so many exciting things she could do and see! The kittens were Harriet's favourites, but she also liked the other animals. She helped Mrs. Jones whenever she could.
Harriet was a very pretty child. Her fair curly hair and her bright blue eyes attracted attention. So did her warm, friendly and good-natured manner, which charmed everybody. But Harriet had not only inherited her mother's beauty, but also her credulity and naiveté. When Mrs. Jones taught Harriet to read and write, she soon found out that Harriet needed a lot of encouragement in learning. Still, Harriet was not silly. She could learn as much as any child, as long as she could take her time and as long as her teacher was patient enough. Harsh words and scolding made Harriet extremely nervous.
On Harriet's 9th birthday, a letter from her father arrived - a father of whose existence Harriet had never known a thing. This letter was to change her life, as Harriet soon found out.
Mrs Jones told Harriet that her father wished her to go to school.
Harriet was startled. "Does that mean I'll have to leave you, Mrs. Jones," she asked, tearfully.
Mrs. Jones nodded. "I'm afraid so, Harriet. But your father has chosen very well. I know the school, it is Mrs. Goddard's school in Highbury. It has a very good reputation and I am sure you will do very well there."
Harriet started to cry. "Why cannot I stay here with you Mrs. Jones? I am sure I can learn everything I need from you!"
"Your father wants you to get an education that fits a young lady, dear, and that is something I can't give you. I am a simple woman without any accomplishments. There is nothing more I can teach you." Harriet cried for a while, and Mrs. Jones hugged her and tried to comfort her.
"When will I have to leave?" Harriet asked after a while.
"Mrs. Goddard will come and fetch you on the first of September, dear. You see, there is still some time left for you. You have still got the whole summer before you'll have to leave."
The summer, though, was soon over. Mrs. Jones and Harriet had been very busy all the time. There had been many preparations to make.
The first of September had arrived, and Harriet found herself in a carriage with Mrs. Goddard.
Chapter 2
After some time, however, she decided that Harriet had cried enough now and started a conversation to avert Harriet's thoughts from the separation. She told Harriet where they were going and what sort of place Highbury was.
As Mrs. Goddard was so nice and talking so cheerfully, Harriet finally overcame her shyness and started to ask questions.
"Are there many pupils in your school, Mrs. Goddard?"
"Yes, there are always between thirty and forty girls. Thirty at the moment. There are also three teachers, Miss Nash, Miss Prince and Miss Richardson."
"Three teachers?"
"Miss Nash is the head teacher. She teaches Music, Drawing and French. Miss Prince is our English and History teacher, and Miss Richardson is responsible for the needlework lessons."
Harriet was quiet for a moment. "Do you teach too, Madam?"
Mrs. Goddard laughed. "Well, if you can call it teaching. I am the one who is responsible for your manners."
They were silent for a few minutes, then Harriet sighed.
"What is the matter, Harriet?" asked Mrs. Goddard.
"Oh, nothing, Madam. I only miss Mrs. Jones. And I miss Panther, too."
"Panther?"
"Panther is my cat. I have known him since he was a kitten. I am sure he will miss me too." Harriet found it rather difficult to hold back her tears, and Mrs. Goddard tried hard to cheer her up.
"I am sure you will soon make friends. And I have a cat too, his name is Nelson. He is old and grumpy and he does not like children very much, but perhaps you are an exception. Animals always know if a person is fond of them, and act accordingly."
It was already dark when Harriet and Mrs. Goddard arrived in Highbury, so there was not much to see. After supper Harriet was shown into her room. The other girls who were to share her room had not yet arrived. The long journey had fatigued Harriet, and she soon fell asleep.
The next morning, Harriet was introduced to the teachers and her fellow students. They all seemed to be very friendly, except Miss Nash. Miss Nash, the head teacher, was a woman at the age of about five-and-twenty. She was very tall and thin, and her surly face added nothing to her beauty. Miss Nash was very interested in everything that happened in Highbury, and she was not happy until she had told the news to everybody she met. She was the worst gossip for miles around.
As to Harriet Smith, well, Miss Nash did not at all like her. First of all, the existence of a child like Harriet was something her prudish mind could not bear. Secondly, Harriet was just the sort of pretty child Miss Nash had never liked because she was not pretty herself.
After Harriet had got used to her new school, she felt at home in Highbury. Both pupils and teachers in Mrs. Goddard's school liked her loveable and helpful ways. Even grumpy old Nelson seemed to have chosen Harriet as his particular friend. He was around her whenever he could, sitting close to her in the evenings when the girls assembled in Mrs. Goddard's drawing room to read or do their needlework.
Although Harriet was not the best of pupils, she compensated for this with her hard work. It took her some time to understand the things she had to learn, but then she always kept them in mind.
All the hard work did not help Harriet to succeed in the subjects Miss Nash was teaching. Harriet loved music and it was always a pleasure for her to listen to her schoolmates who sang and played the pianoforte. But Harriet had not much talent for music herself. She could not sing, it was nearly impossible for her to keep in tune. And even hours of practising did not prevent Harriet from being extremely nervous when she had to play to Miss Nash. Whenever Harriet made a mistake, Miss Nash started yelling at her. She called Harriet a silly, awkward girl who would certainly never learn anything.
"A young lady who cannot sing or play an instrument! How are you ever going to make a good impression, child? And your French! It is horrible! I do not know why I bother! Teaching you is a waste of time!" Of course, this made Harriet even more nervous, and she made even more mistakes. There were many lessons like this, and after these lessons Harriet often went to her room and cried secretly. After some time, Harriet was convinced that she was a silly, awkward person who deserved no love at all. She was thankful for every bit of attention she got.
The years went by, and Harriet had become a pretty young girl. The pupils still met in Mrs. Goddard's drawing room nearly every evening. One of these evenings, Harriet overheard a conversation between Mrs. Goddard and Miss Nash.
"I think I have not told you yet, Miss Nash. I received a letter from Mrs. Martin today." Everybody in the room knew who Mrs. Martin was. Her husband, Mr. Edward Martin, had died under tragic circumstances a week ago. He had been a tenant farmer at Abbey Mill Farm. Mr. Knightley, the owner of the farm, had always thought very highly of him. "Mrs. Martin wants to send her two daughters here."
Miss Nash was astonished. "Why does Mrs. Martin send her daughters away? Would they not be much more useful to their mother if they stayed with her?"
"Mrs. Martin writes that her husband's death was so sudden and unexpected that he left many things unsettled. Mrs. Martin needs to help her son, Mr. Robert Martin, to take control of things. She cannot take care of her daughters' education as well at the moment. So she sends them here, until everything at their home is settled. The young ladies will arrive tomorrow."
Harriet did not say anything, but she thought by herself, "How horrible it must be for them! They lost their father, and now they will even be sent away from home! I will try to be a good friend to the Miss Martins. It looks as if they need a good friend."
Chapter 3
The next morning, Harriet was on the look-out. She wanted to be the first one to welcome the Miss Martins and wanted to make them feel comfortable. Even Miss Richardson, who was the most good-natured of all the teachers, got angry with her.
"Stop looking out of the window all the time, Miss Smith! You are supposed to work on your embroidery. Besides, it is most unladylike to be peeping out of the window!"
Harriet was too shy to point out that Miss Richardson and Miss Nash spent a lot of time by the window, watching the people in the street.
"I was wondering about the Miss Martins, Miss Richardson. Do you know when they will arrive?"
"No, I do not, Miss Smith. But I am certain you will find out as soon as they are here. In the meantime, keep your eyes to your work."
Harriet did not look out of the window any more, but she listened attentively. Soon she heard a carriage. Then there were voices in the corridor. Harriet could distinguish between Mrs. Goddard's and three other voices. A short time afterwards the door of the schoolroom opened and Mrs. Goddard entered, followed by two young ladies.
"Ladies, if you would listen to me for one moment. These are the Miss Martins, Miss Catherine and Elizabeth Martin. They are to stay with us at least until Christmas. I am sure you will welcome them and help them whenever help is needed. Miss Richardson, please introduce your class to the new students."
With these words, Mrs. Goddard left the room, and Miss Richardson introduced all the pupils to the Miss Martins.
These young ladies fascinated Harriet. Miss Martin could be best described as a beauty. She had dark hair and big brown eyes. She was not very tall, but had a beautiful figure. Miss Martin moved with natural grace. Miss Elizabeth Martin, although she was the younger, was taller than her sister. Her hair was light brown, and her eyes were grey. There was something about Miss Elizabeth that made Harriet like her at once, though they had not yet been introduced to each other.
Then Miss Richardson introduced Harriet to the Miss Martins and said, "I am sure you will show the Miss Martins to their room. They will unpack their trunks and join us as soon as they are finished."
Glad to get an opportunity to talk to the Miss Martins, and Miss Elizabeth in particular, Harriet led them out of the room. "How long are you going to stay with us, Miss Martin?"
"Until Christmas." Harriet remembered that Mrs. Goddard had already mentioned this and blushed.
"You must think me exceedingly silly, Miss Martin, for asking you something that Mrs. Goddard has already told me, but it was the first thing that came into my mind."
"I do not think you at all silly, Miss Smith. How long have you been in this school?"
"I have been here for seven years now."
"Seven years?" Elizabeth Martin exclaimed. "What a long time! But of course you visit your parents in your holidays."
Harriet blushed again. "I have no parents I could visit, Miss Elizabeth."
Elizabeth looked at Harriet earnestly. " I am very sorry if I offended you, Miss Smith. I did not know that."
Harriet opened a door. "This is your room. Please make yourself feel at home. Our French lesson starts in half an hour." The two sisters smiled and nodded. Harriet went back into the schoolroom.
Half an hour later, the French lesson had just started when the Miss Martins entered the schoolroom. They took their seats just behind Harriet, who greeted them with a shy smile. Miss Nash's expression was even sourer than usual.
"Miss Martin, Miss Elizabeth, I must say that I expect strict punctuality from my students. I know you have only just arrived, so I will tolerate your being late this time. But make sure it will never happen again."
"Of course, Madam."
"Now ladies, I would like to see if you have learned yesterday's lesson. I will ask some of you some questions. Miss Westwood, please."
Mary Westwood, a lively fourteen-year-old, was Miss Nash's favourite, and therefore her questions were rather easy. Miss Westwood answered all of them excellently, and now Miss Nash was looking for a new victim. Each of the young ladies in the classroom tried to look a bit smaller, so Miss Nash might overlook them.
"Mademoiselle Smith, traduisez, s'il vous plait."
Harriet had studied all evening, but the moment she heard Miss Nash say her name, she forgot everything. She rose, and felt her knees go weak.
Pull yourself together, she thought.
"Oui madame."
"Miss Westwood's new dress is most becoming."
"Oui, madame. La robe de Mademoiselle ...."
"Which dress, Miss Smith?"
"La...nouvelle...robe de Mademoiselle Westwood est très...très....très.."
"Yes, Miss Smith?"
"..très..."
"We know that Miss Westwood's new dress is very something, Miss Smith, but WHAT? Do go on, I cannot wait all morning. Once again, please."
Harriet looked around helplessly, but none of the young ladies seemed able or inclined to help her.
"La nouvelle robe de Mademoiselle Westwood est très..."
Then she heard a whisper from behind. "....lui va très bien."
"La nouvelle robe de Mademoiselle Westwood lui va très bien."
Miss Nash looked surprised.
"Well, Miss Smith, it looks as if you have improved. Still, you could have done better. Work harder next time."
Harriet was both relieved and confused. When she took her seat again, she looked around for a short moment and saw Elizabeth Martin smile and wink at her. So it had been her! Harriet resolved to go and thank Elizabeth Martin after the lesson.
Chapter 4
"Dear Miss Elizabeth, I wanted to thank you for your help. You were so kind!"
Elizabeth Martin smiled.
"It was a pleasure for me, Miss Smith. If you want me to help you with your French, please do not hesitate to ask me."
"Oh, I do study my lessons every day, really! But as soon as Miss Nash looks at me and talks to me in that harsh way.... well, my head seems to be empty the very same moment."
"Are you afraid of Miss Nash?"
"Yes, I am. But she is right, I guess. I am a silly, awkward girl, and what is to become of me?"
Elizabeth Martin looked at Harriet earnestly.
"Miss Smith, a pretty and good-natured young lady like you will be sure to make a good impression. You will be a well-settled lady soon, I am sure."
Harriet gave Elizabeth Martin a shy and thankful smile.
"And now, Miss Smith, if you chose to accept my invitation, I would be honoured. Please come to our room after dinner, and we will study our lessons together."
"I will be very glad to do so, Miss Elizabeth."
Harriet spent many evenings with the Miss Martins, and soon they became close friends. They called each other by their Christian names soon. Christmas came nearer, and Harriet could not help thinking of it with regret. Christmas was to be the day when the Miss Martins were to return home.
But one evening in early December, Elizabeth welcomed Harriet in her room with the words,
"Do take a seat, dear Harriet. I want to read a letter to you. It is from my brother, Robert."
Harriet sat down and looked at Elizabeth attentively. Elizabeth started reading.
Dear Cathy, dear Liz!
I hope this letter finds you in good health. Mother and I are both well. I know that you were depending on returning home for Christmas. Mother will come to Highbury and fetch you on the 20th.
But I am very sorry to tell you that your stay at home will only be a temporary one. There are still many things that have to be settled, and although Mr. Knightley has been so kind as to help me, Mother still has a lot to do. Business requires that I go to London in early January, and I cannot tell how long I will have to stay there. Mother will stay at home and manage the farm until I am back.
I am afraid she will not have much time for you, so we have agreed that you shall go back to Mrs. Goddard's the day after Epiphany and stay there until I come back from London.
It makes me sad to disappoint you, because I would like to have you at home just as much as you would like to be here. We can only hope that my business in London will not detain me long.
I am already waiting for Christmas and your return. Please give my regards to all your friends, especially Miss Smith, of whom I have read so much in your letters.
Your brother,
Robert
Harriet looked at the two sisters. "I am so sorry for you! I know how much you wanted to go home!"
"Well, there is rarely an evil that has not something good in it," Catherine said.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Dear Harriet, what my sister wanted to say is that we would have missed you very much if we had left you."
"You are so very kind, Catherine! Elizabeth, I never had a friend like you, and I assure you I would have missed you very much, indeed!"
Elizabeth laughed. "And that is why my sister and I have made a plan."
"A plan?" Harriet looked from one sister to the other.
"Cathy? Do you want to tell her?" Elizabeth asked.
"I will be very glad to. Harriet, as we thought we might never see you again after our leaving this school, we have decided to ask our mother to invite you to Abbey Mill Farm."
"We will ask her at Christmas, Harriet, and I am almost sure that she will consent. That is, if you accept the invitation," Elizabeth went on.
"Accept the invitation? Of course I do! If your mother invites me, that is."
The rest of the evening went by very pleasantly. The ladies were talking of nothing but their plan and imagined how nice it would be if their wish came true.
Chapter 5
It was Christmas Eve, and the Martin family were sitting in the drawing room after dinner.
"Now tell me more about your friend Miss Smith. What is she like," Mrs. Martin wanted to know.
"What would you like to know, Mother?", Catherine asked. "I think you know everything about Miss Smith already, as Liz has written so much about her in her letters."
"You never told me what she looked like, for example."
"Well, Mother," Elizabeth answered, "she is the prettiest creature I have ever seen - except Cathy, that is. She is rather short, about the same size as Cathy. Her hair is blond and curly, and her face looks just like an angel's. I wish I was as pretty as Harriet Smith!"
Robert Martin, who was reading the newspaper and pretending not to listen, put his newspaper aside for a moment and said, "Liz, whatever your faults may be, you certainly are pretty."
"Not at all. You are only saying this because you are my brother."
Robert sighed. "I will have to stop making compliments, I guess. You never believe me, no matter what I say." And, grinning, he went on, "Perhaps if I said that both my sisters were as ugly as scare-crows, you would be more inclined to believe me. Brothers are supposed to say nasty things about their sisters, are they not?"
Catherine and Elizabeth laughed, and even Mrs. Martin smiled. Robert was glad to see his mother smile again, it had been a long time since he had last seen her smile.
"Robert, what I wanted to say was that brothers tend to think better of their sisters than they deserve. But even you must admit that beauty is none of my virtues."
"Allright then, Liz, you are not at all pretty. Are you satisfied?"
"Well, perhaps."
Robert shook his head and smiled. For a few minutes, everybody was silent. Robert took up his newspaper again, and Mrs. Martin and her daughters were working on their embroidery.
Then Catherine addressed her mother. "Elizabeth and I wanted to ask you something, Mother."
Mrs. Martin looked at her. "Well, what is it?"
"We would like you to invite Harriet Smith for the summer."
Mrs. Martin sighed. "I cannot promise anything yet, Catherine. I cannot invite her before I know when Robert will be back. I'd be too busy to entertain a visitor. But I think I could invite her, yes."
Both girls embraced their mother.
"Thank you so much!", Elizabeth exclaimed.
Mrs. Martin smiled. "Do not thank me until everything is settled. And now, children, what do you think of singing? It is Christmas, after all!"
Harriet was in Mrs. Goddard's drawing room with the teachers and two other girls who had stayed in school for Christmas. The evening had started with a delicious dinner, and now the young ladies were entertaining the teachers and their fellow students.
"Une petite soirée", as Miss Nash had called it. It had started with Miss Westwood, who had sung a beautiful Christmas carol. Then Miss Harrison had recited a poem.
"Now, Miss Smith.", said Miss Nash and turned towards Harriet. "Why do you not play that delightful piece of music to us? The one we learned last week?"
"Miss Nash, I am not sure if I am already able to play it in company."
"Why not? Miss Smith, you will never make a good impression if you keep hiding away from everything. Besides, it is very impolite to refuse a request like this. I am sure Mrs. Goddard would like to hear you, too."
"I would be very pleased if you played the piano, Miss Smith.", said Mrs. Goddard.
Seeing that there was no way out, Harriet went to the piano and started playing. But soon she felt that everybody in the room was watching her, and grew so nervous that she made a mistake.
This was just the beginning. The more she tried to keep her eyes to the notes and play correctly, the more mistakes she made. When the piece was finished, Harriet swallowed the lump in her throat. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she knew what was to come.
"Well, Miss Smith, what was that supposed to be?"
"I am sorry, Miss Nash. I got so nervous..."
"Why did you get nervous? Nobody will harm you, I am sure. You must practise more, Miss Smith. Just imagine what would have happened if there had been more company in here tonight. You'd have been a disgrace to Mrs. Goddard and our school, and even worse, they would have thought you extremely ignorant. You will practise in the school room tomorrow, Miss Smith, as soon as we return from church, and then we will see if you cannot do better."
"Yes..."
"Yes what?"
"Yes, I will, Miss Nash."
"You are not crying, Miss Smith, are you?"
Harriet wiped the tears off her face. "No, Miss Nash."
"Go back to your seat then. Miss Richardson is going to read from the Bible now."
Harriet went to her seat, but she could not pay much attention to Miss Richardson. Her thoughts were too much absorbed with her friends, Catherine and Elizabeth.
I miss them so much, she thought. Thank God they will be back the day after Epiphany!
The next day, Mrs. Goddard and her pupils went to church. They were all very curious, because it would be the first service to be held by the new vicar of Highbury, Mr. Elton.
Miss Nash had talked of nothing but Mr. Elton for the last week. She seemed to know everything about him, and even the good-humoured Mrs. Goddard had shown signs of fatigue as soon as Miss Nash had entered the room. The most intriguing fact about Mr. Elton, from Miss Nash's point of view, was that there was no Mrs. Elton. And now they were to meet the fabulous Mr. Elton!
During service, Harriet kept an eye on Miss Nash. She was listening to Mr. Elton's sermon as if a choir of angels was singing. Was it possible that Miss Nash was in love with Mr. Elton? Harriet shivered. No man, whatever he might have sinned, deserved the misfortune of being loved by Miss Nash. And Mr. Elton, too, who was such an agreeable and handsome gentleman....no, he would certainly not fall in love with Miss Nash. After the service, Harriet saw Miss Nash walk up to Mr. Elton. She talked to him, and he answered very civilly, although his smile seemed a bit artificial.
When they arrived back at Mrs. Goddard's school, Harriet went into the schoolroom immediately. She had not practised half an hour, when Mrs. Goddard entered the room.
"What are you doing here, Miss Smith?", she asked.
"Miss Nash told me to go here after service and practise."
"Oh yes, I remember. But I am sure you can spare a few minutes? I have something important to tell you."
"Something important? Oh, what on earth can it be, Mrs. Goddard?"
" I received a letter from your father yesterday. He knows that your education will be completed in June, and he wants me to talk with you about your future."
"My future, Mrs. Goddard?"
"You know you cannot go and live with your father, Miss Smith, and - as far as I know- there are no other relatives. So I have a suggestion to make. What would you think of staying here with me as a parlour-boarder? I could introduce you to the society in Highbury, and maybe there are.... possibilities for you."
"Possibilities? What do you mean, Mrs. Goddard?"
"Possibilities of being well settled, I mean."
"Oh, I see, Mrs. Goddard."
"What do you think of my plan? Shall I write to your father that you will stay here as a parlour-boarder?"
"I think it will be the best for me, Mrs. Goddard. I think I will stay here."
"Good. I will write to your father, then. And now, Miss Smith, I think you'd better go on practising. We do not want Miss Nash to scold you again, do we? I know she is harsh sometimes, but I do not think she means it," Mrs. Goddard said, patting Harriet's arm.
Then she left the room and Harriet turned to her notes with a deep sigh.
Chapter 7
Dearest Catherine and Elizabeth,
I hope both you and your family are quite well. Did you have pleasant holidays? I am sure they must have been pleasant, you being so fond of your mother and brother.
There is some news I have to tell you. First, Mrs. Goddard has offered me to stay in her house as a parlour-boarder. I have accepted, mainly because I do not know where else I should go. And then, there are two more parlour-boarders who seem to like it very much.
Secondly, Highbury has a new vicar, Mr. Elton. He is a very handsome and agreeable gentleman, and it seems that Miss Nash has taken a fancy for him. She is talking of nothing else but Mr. Elton and never tires of it. And she actually collects his sermons and reads them to us!
I have spent most of my time in the schoolroom, practising the piano. Every evening, Miss Nash wants me to play for the teachers, and you know what happens when Miss Nash looks at me in her particular way. I make a lot of mistakes, and then she calls me lazy and silly. I will be so glad to have you back here again! You always help me so much; I do not know how to thank you.
I must finish now; Mrs. Goddard is calling us to the dancing lesson. Although I like dancing, I must say it is rather boring without gentlemen. I am looking forward to seeing you. Give my regards to your mother and brother.
Your friend,
Harriet Smith
"Poor Harriet!" Catherine exclaimed. "I really do not understand why Miss Nash treats her the way she does. Harriet is so good-natured, she never does anything to provoke Miss Nash, but still..." She shrugged her shoulders helplessly.
"I think I know the reason for Miss Nash's behaviour," said Elizabeth. "She does not like Harriet."
"But why not?"
"Maybe it is because Harriet is pretty, good-natured and young. Miss Nash is not. Is that not reason enough?"
Catherine nodded hesitatingly. "You could be right, Liz. I pity Harriet. Just imagine, she has to stay with Mrs. Goddard. That means Miss Nash will always be around her. I wish I could do something for Harriet!"
Elizabeth grinned. "Perhaps we can!"
Catherine smiled. "Liz, what are you up to?"
Elizabeth started laughing.
"Liz!"
"I am sorry, Cathy, I just thought...(still giggling) that it would be wonderful if Miss Nash..."
"Liz, pull yourself together and tell me! What is the matter?"
Elizabeth tried to look serious. "If Miss Nash and Mr. Elton were to marry, I wanted to say."
Now Catherine laughed, too. "Oh Liz, you are... impossible! You know this will never happen!"
"Of course, Cathy, and that is why I will tell you the other possibility of helping Harriet."
"Well?"
At that moment, Robert entered the room.
"I am going to tell you some other time, Cathy."
Robert looked at his sisters curiously. "Have you been talking about me?"
"Oh Robert, why on earth do men always think that women talk about them when they are not around?", Elizabeth cried.
"Well, if you were not, why did you stop talking when I came in? It must have been something I was not supposed to hear."
"Cathy and I were talking about mere girl things, Robert.", Elizabeth said innocently. "I did not think you were interested in those."
Robert sighed. "Mere girl things, I see. If you are not willing to tell me, I will leave it for the time being." He grinned. "I will find out anyway, sooner or later. Just wait and see!"
Catherine laughed. "I am sure you will, Robert."
"Anyway, Mother wanted me to tell you to get ready for our dinner with the Masons."
Catherine rose. "Very well, we will hurry up. Come, Liz!" As they were leaving the room, Catherine noticed Elizabeth's smile.
Is that what you are up to, Liz? she thought. Do you want Robert to marry Harriet?
When Elizabeth and Catherine Martin returned to Mrs. Goddard's school, Harriet welcomed them with genuine pleasure.
There were many things they wanted to tell each other. The Martins were curious to hear more about Miss Nash and her "passion" for Mr. Elton, and they could not wait until next Sunday, when they would all go to church and see Mr. Elton with their own eyes.
Harriet, in her turn, wanted to know what the evening with the Masons had been like. There was a young gentleman whom Elizabeth mentioned very often, with a sly glance at Catherine. Catherine tried not to care, but her blush said more than words.
The gentleman was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Mason, Mr. George Mason. Elizabeth told Harriet that Mr. Mason had been very attentive to her sister. Catherine, however, did not want to hear of it. Mr. Mason had just been polite, nothing more.
On the following Sunday, the Martins' curiosity was satisfied.
They went to church, saw Mr. Elton, and heard his sermon. Afterwards, they had a good time talking about Miss Nash and her obvious fancy for Mr. Elton. During lunch, they heard Miss Nash's lecture about Mr. Elton's sermon and how touching it had been. Elizabeth winked at Harriet and smiled mischievously.
Later, the three young ladies went for a walk. They passed by the gates of Hartfield, and the house was visible in a short distance. "What a beautiful house!" Harriet sighed. "I wish I could ever see it from the inside. It is so impressing, isn't it?"
Catherine agreed. "I imagine it to be very elegant, do not you think so, Liz?"
"Oh, I am sure it is. But how do you think you will get inside, Harriet?"
"I do not know. But maybe Mrs. Goddard will introduce me there one day. She often visits Mr. Woodhouse."
"Is there not a Miss Woodhouse, too? I know a Miss Woodhouse married Mr. John Knightley, but is there not a younger Miss Woodhouse as well," Catherine asked.
"Yes, Miss Emma Woodhouse. We saw her in church today."
Just at this moment, two ladies came towards them. One was Miss Woodhouse, the other one was Miss Woodhouse's governess, Miss Taylor. The ladies greeted each other and went on.
"Who was the lady with Miss Woodhouse, Harriet?" Elizabeth asked.
"Miss Taylor, Miss Woodhouse's governess. There is a rumour she is engaged to Mr. Weston."
Spring had come, and in the beginning of May, both the Martin sisters and Harriet received a letter from Mrs. Martin. Harriet's letter was a formal invitation to accompany the Miss Martins to their home in June and to stay there until August. Harriet was enthusiastic. A whole summer with the Martin family, and on a farm too! Pleasant childhood memories came back to her. After Mrs. Goddard had given her consent, Harriet wrote an answer to Mrs. Martin. She would be very glad to join her friends, and she would love to spend the summer on Abbey Mill Farm.
The letter to the Miss Martins was the following:
My dear girls,
I am glad to tell you that you can finally return home. Robert will come back from London next week. Everything has gone well. I am glad he will be here for his birthday, and so will you. I have already written to Mrs. Goddard to tell her that I will come to pick you up on the fifth of June. Your friend Harriet Smith is invited to join you and to stay here until August. I am looking forward to making her acquaintance.
Your affectionate mother
Elizabeth ran to Harriet's room instantly, and they both rejoiced in their prospects of a beautiful summer. This evening was very pleasant, the three girls sitting together, and the Martin sisters describing Abbey Mill Farm to Harriet.
When Harriet went to bed this evening, she felt as if she already knew everybody and everything on the farm.
Chapter 9
The weeks flew past. Harriet had much to do. She not only had to pack her things for her visit in Abbey Mill Farm, but also had to move into another room. As she was not a scholar any more, but a parlour boarder, her prestige in Mrs. Goddard's school changed. She was now nearly an equal to Mrs. Goddard, and she was surprised to see that even the teachers treated her with respect.
Miss Nash, of course, could not help making very cutting remarks towards Harriet very often, but adding every time, "You know, Miss Smith, I have to tell you this as your well-meaning friend." This sentence made Elizabeth laugh very often, although she tried hard to suppress her laughter. And even Harriet, credulous as she was, did not quite believe that Miss Nash had turned into a "well-meaning friend" so soon.
In the morning of June 5th, Harriet and her friends waited for Mrs. Martin's arrival. The two sisters were impatient, looking at the big clock in Mrs. Goddard's drawing room every two minutes and declaring that it must have been hours since they had last looked. Harriet was nervous. What if Mrs. Martin did not like her? What if she really failed to make a good impression, as Miss Nash had told her so often?
On the other hand, she was looking forward to seeing Abbey Mill Farm. She felt that she would enjoy her visit there. For so many years she had longed to be back on Mrs. Jones's farm. Now she had the chance of being on a farm again, and even if Mrs. Jones would not be there, there were her dear friends, Catherine and Elizabeth and their mother and brother....Brother! What if Mr. Martin did not like her? Harriet was not used to the presence of gentlemen, and she was sure she would not be able to talk to Mr. Martin without making a fool of herself. He would think her exceedingly silly and boring.
The door of Mrs. Goddard's drawing room opened, and Mrs. Goddard entered with Mrs. Martin. The moment Harriet was greeted by Mrs. Martin, her fear was gone. Mrs. Martin was a very motherly person, and loved Harriet for being such a good friend to her daughters. She greeted Harriet affectionately, and expressed her pleasure to meet Harriet in a very warm manner.
Soon the ladies were on their way to Abbey Mill Farm. Mother and daughters were talking about all the things that had happened in their neighbourhood, and Harriet leant back in her seat and enjoyed the beautiful scenery around her. The weather was very fine, the sun was shining and the scent of flowers was in the air. As soon as they had passed Donwell Abbey, Abbey Mill Farm became visible in the distance. It was situated on the bank of a river that made a close and handsome curve around it. There were meadows in front of it, and a small wood was near the house. The house itself was rather large. So were the barns and stables. There was a dovecote in the farmyard. Harriet fell in love with Abbey Mill Farm at first sight, and felt that she would be very happy there.
"Will Robert be there to meet us, Mother?" Catherine asked.
"Oh, I am afraid he will not, dear!" was Mrs. Martin's reply. "He rode to Donwell Abbey in the morning. There is some important business he wants to talk about with Mr. Knightley. He told me he would not be back before supper."
Harriet was relieved. She had been dreading her first meeting with Mr. Martin and was glad it would not take place so soon.
When they arrived, there were already two maidservants waiting for them at the front door. The elder was introduced to Harriet as Mrs. Simms, who had been with the family for 25 years. The younger maid's name was Bridget. Both welcomed Harriet, and showed her into her room. Bridget brought her some water to refresh herself, and unpacked Harriet's trunk. Harriet got dressed and then followed Mrs. Simms to the dining room.
Chapter 10
"We must try to get back to normal life, dears," said Mrs. Martin. "Although I still miss your father very much, we must try to live the way we always did. He would want it to be that way."
The two sisters agreed.
"Do you see the picture on the wall over there, Miss Smith?" Mrs. Martin asked. "It shows my husband."
Harriet got up to take a closer look. The picture showed a gentleman who was about fifty. His hair was dark, with a little bit of grey. His eyes were brown, like his daughter's.
"He was a very handsome gentleman, Mrs. Martin," Harriet said, shyly.
"Oh yes, he was, and the best of all husbands, too," was Mrs. Martin's answer.
Catherine, who saw that this topic was rather painful for her mother, tried to change it.
"Whom will you invite for the dinner party, Mother?"
"I do not know yet, Cathy. I think I will invite the Masons, and maybe Mr. and Mrs. Charles."
Elizabeth smiled mischievously. "Oh, the Masons! Are they all well?"
"I think so, Liz, at least I heard nothing to the contrary."
"What about Mr George Mason? Is he already engaged?"
" I do not think so."
Elizabeth turned to Harriet. "I must warn you, Harriet, Mr. Mason is a horrible flirt!"
"No, he is not," Catherine exclaimed, and Elizabeth said with a laugh, "You see, Harriet? Well, I had better stop teasing my sister now. What do you think, Harriet? Shall we go and show you our farm? I think Mother will be glad to join us, will you not, Mother?"
Mrs. Martin agreed, and so they went out into the farmyard.
Mrs. Martin and her daughters led Harriet around, into the stables as well as into the garden. The garden was lovely; all the flowers were in full bloom. The lawn sloped gently towards the river, and there, next to the river, was a summerhouse.
"We sometimes take our tea down here, Harriet," Catherine said. "What do you think about this place?"
Harriet looked at the summerhouse. "I think it is the loveliest place I have ever seen, Catherine. The whole farm is. I never imagined it to be so very beautiful!" Both mother and daughters were very satisfied with Harriet's praise.
They strolled around in the garden for a while until Mrs. Martin said,"I think it is time to go back into the house for our tea, children."
They all agreed and were just approaching the front door, when Elizabeth cried out, "Look who comes here!"
Catherine turned to look in the direction Elizabeth was pointing at. "Robert! He is early! Did you not say he would not be back before supper, Mother? Well, never mind! I am glad to see him!"
Harriet looked at the young man who was coming towards them from the stables. He looked rather plain, she thought. His brown hair was the same colour as Elizabeth's, but it was rather rough. One could see clearly that he spent much time out of doors, for his face was sun-tanned. He wore plain, but neat clothes.
The moment he noticed his mother and sisters at the door, his face brightened and he smiled radiantly. "Cathy! Liz! I knew you'd be here already, that's why I hurried up! I am so glad to have you here again!" He embraced both his sisters to greet them. Then he looked at Harriet, who was standing behind his two sisters.
"Will you not introduce me to your friend, Cathy?"
"I will be very glad to, Robert," Catherine replied. "Harriet, this is my brother Robert. Robert, this is my friend Harriet Smith."
Now Harriet and Robert Martin were facing each other. God, she is so pretty, Robert thought, and suddenly all his self-assurance vanished.
"How do you do, Miss Smith," he said with a shy smile. "I hope.... I hope you had a pleasant journey."
Harriet needed all her courage to answer. "Very pleasant, Mr. Martin, thank you."
"Wel - welcome to Abbey Mill Farm, Miss Smith. I hope your stay will be a pleasant one."
"You are very obliging, Mr Martin."
When they entered the house, Robert thought, I must look like a complete idiot to her. Why cannot I be a bit more like Liz? Blushing and stammering as if I am not even able to talk! I could kick myself!
Harriet was glad that the first meeting had gone rather well. Looking at Mr Martin a bit more closely, she had to admit that he was not so plain as she had first thought him. He had friendly grey eyes, like his sister, and she liked his smile.
No, really, not so plain after all...
Chapter 13
Robert was sitting in his study, when Mr Mason was announced. He had tried to do some work, but had given up at one point because he had noticed that the thoughts of Harriet Smith had disturbed his concentration too much. So he was glad when his friend entered the room. George always distracted him.
"Working?", George asked.
Robert smiled. "Trying to, at least. What is it that brings you here, George?"
"I have got some serious and important business to talk about, Robert."
Robert looked at his friend in surprise. "Serious and important business, you said? That does not sound like you at all, George."
George Mason sighed. "That is the bad side of being a clown, I guess. Nobody ever thinks I am serious. I came here to ask for your advice."
"My advice, George? On what business?"
"I would not call it business, Robert. It is a more personal question. I am in love."
Robert started to laugh as if George had just told him a good joke.
"Robert?" George's voice sounded hurt. "What is so funny about that?"
"Sorry George, I did not mean to laugh at you, but... what is the problem? I never thought that someone like you might need advice in matters of the heart....." He started laughing again. "And then your asking me, of all people...."
George leant back in his chair and looked at Robert earnestly, saying nothing. Robert calmed himself down.
"Allright George. You want my advice; I will give it to you. So, you are in love. That is good for you, and I guess it is also good for the lady. What is the problem?"
"She does not know I am in love with her."
"Why do not you tell her, then?"
"Because I am afraid she would refuse me."
"Refuse you? George, I cannot think of any girl that would refuse you!"
George sighed. "Well, I think that particular lady would. She knows me too well, you know."
"Now you are making me curious, George. Who is it? Do I know her?"
George smiled. "I think you know her pretty well. It is your sister, Catherine."
"Cathy?!" Robert was astonished. "And you have not got the slightest idea if she loves you, too?"
"Not the least. Listen, Robert, I am serious. I want to marry her. I cannot marry her now, of course, we would have to wait for two, maybe three years until I have earned myself a reputation as a lawyer."
Robert nodded, thoughtfully. "If you are really serious, George, you should talk to her. Basically, I have nothing to say against that match. If you can offer her a good home, and you really love her, I am sure everything will be fine. But you will have to talk to Cathy, herself! I cannot give my consent as long as you have not talked to her."
"But she will refuse me!"
"Why? How do you know she will? And what do you want me to do then? I am not going to force her into a marriage that will make her unhappy, you know."
"As I said, she has known me for such a long time. She thinks I am a flirt. I try to make myself agreeable every time we meet, but she does not even care. She is polite, but that is all."
Robert thought for a while.
"All I can do, George, is to watch Cathy the next time you are together. You know her; she is not the person to show her feelings. But I can keep an eye on her and try to find any signs of like or dislike. I will not interfere. That's your business, and Cathy's."
He sighed. "It is not that easy for me, you know. I never thought, for example, that I'd be responsible for my sisters' marriage. I always thought that would be Father's responsibility." Robert grinned. "And now you are here, my best friend, asking for Cathy's hand in marriage. How could I ever refuse?"
Both gentlemen laughed.
"I am glad I told you everything, Robert. I knew I could count on you, as my friend."
Robert laughed. "And as a brother, I hope."
"I hope so, too."
Robert accompanied his friend to the front door, where they said good-bye to each other.
"One more thing, Robert. Please, do not tell your sister about our conversation. I do not want her to know yet."
"I will not say a word."
Robert went back into the study. George and Cathy.... what a surprise! He had never thought of this possibility before.
He knew that George was considered to be a flirt, but as far as he had seen, all George did was being polite to the ladies, who had sometimes even pursued him with their attention. The ladies were attracted by George's good looks and his easy manner, and his readiness to laugh. Besides, he was charming and ready-witted.
"With other words, the complete opposite of myself. He wants my help? Oh dear, I could do better with his than he with mine!"
Chapter 14
Robert Martin was handsome in a way. His eyes, and this smile when he had offered her the rose...
"What is the matter, Harriet? Are you dreaming?"
Harriet jerked and turned to Elizabeth, who was looking at her expectantly. "What do you think, Harriet?"
"I am sorry, Elizabeth, I am afraid I was not listening. What were you talking about?"
"We were talking about our brother's birthday. What shall we give him for a present?"
Harriet blushed. "I do not really know, Elizabeth, I mean, he is your brother, so you know him well enough to find the right present for him, to be sure..."
Catherine and Elizabeth exchanged a meaningful glance. Then Catherine said, "Liz and I thought we might perhaps sing to him. He likes to listen to us. There is just one problem. If we practise while he is in the house, he will hear us, and it is supposed to be a surprise. So we need to get him out of the house tomorrow."
Elizabeth looked at Harriet. "You must help us, dear Harriet!"
Harriet looked at the two sisters, totally taken aback. "Me? But how?"
"Ask him for a favour. Ask him to get something for you in Highbury."
Harriet shook her head. "I cannot do this! It would not be right, it would certainly not be right!"
Catherine took her hand. "Please, Harriet, you would really help us. And do not forget, you are actually doing it for him. His surprise would be spoiled if he stayed here and heard us!"
Harriet sighed.
"I do not know any errand for your brother in Highbury." Elizabeth laughed.
"I do! Write a letter to Mrs Goddard and ask him to deliver it! Nobody would suspect anything wrong if you did!"
"But I cannot ask Mr Martin to go to Highbury just to deliver a letter for me! I am sure he has so much to do, I do not want to trouble him with my business."
Elizabeth sighed. "Well then, Harriet. You write your letter to Mrs Goddard, and leave all the rest to me. I will ask him."
Half an hour later, Elizabeth knocked at the door of her brother's study. She opened the door and found him standing by the window.
"May I ask you something, Rob?"
"Of course."
"Have you got any business near Highbury tomorrow?"
"I do not think so, no. Why?"
"I was just asking. I wanted you to deliver Harriet's letter to Mrs Goddard, but if you are not going to Highbury tomorrow, I will ask someone else."
She turned around to leave the room, when she heard Robert say, "Wait a moment!"
"Yes?"
"I just remembered that Mother wanted me to go to Ford's with her tomorrow. I can take the letter with me, if Miss Smith wants me to."
Elizabeth nodded. "I will tell her, then."
Robert waited until Elizabeth had left, then he went to look for his mother. He found her in the kitchen, talking with Mrs Simms.
"May I have a word with you, Mother?"
Early the next morning, Robert Martin and his mother departed into the direction of Highbury, and the young ladies were left by themselves.
They practised their pieces of music, and Harriet, who could not be persuaded to sing, helped them by turning over the sheets of music and promised to help with the decorations.
Chapter 15
Robert's birthday had come. He had started the day like any other day, with work. Harris, the shepherd, had asked him to have a look at the flock.
So Robert left the house early and was not to return until lunch. The young ladies used his absence to rehearse their "opera" once more and to check on their costumes.
The question of clothes was really important. Each of the young ladies wanted to look their best, and so they spent the rest of the morning to decide on what they were going to wear.
Harriet chose a light blue dress that accentuated the colour of her eyes. Harriet was far from being vain and did not at all think herself pretty. But her friends told her that this dress became her. And she sincerely hoped that Mr Martin might notice that, too.
Catherine decided to wear a white muslin dress, and Elizabeth wanted to wear her favourite dress, a white one with green embroidery.
In the evening, they helped each other with their dress and hair. Of course, this did not work without a great deal of whispering and giggling. Catherine went to the window very often. As she said, she" wanted to see what the weather was like".
She did not sound very convincing, though, and Elizabeth winked at Harriet and said, "Cathy is looking for the sun to rise in the west tonight."
Both Catherine and Harriet laughed. Soon they heard a carriage arrive and went downstairs to meet the guests. It was Mr and Mrs Charles.
Mr Charles was a rather short and stout gentleman, about 60 years of age. One could see clearly that he did not only like to eat, but also to drink.
Mrs Charles was about five years younger than her husband. She was a good-natured woman who loved to talk. She was so fond of talking that her husband rarely had his say. The late Mr Martin had once described her as "a woman like a water mill, clattering and murmuring, and unable to stop."
Mrs Charles had been Mr Martin's cousin, and so she and her husband were always invited to family celebrations. The Charleses did not have any children, and so they had always been very fond of the Martin children. Elizabeth was their favourite.
Mrs Charles seemed to be determined to live up to her reputation. She was talking on and on, and her husband remarked, "She will choke one day, I am afraid. She does not even pause to breathe!"
Robert, who had heard this remark, had a hard time suppressing his laughter.
He had cast an admiring glance at Harriet. She was prettier than ever. But, being the host of this party, he could not indulge in dreaming. He had to take care of his guests.
Shortly after Mr and Mrs Charles, the Masons arrived. Mr and Mrs Mason had two sons. The elder, George Mason, was to be a lawyer, like his father. He was nearly the same age as Robert Martin, only six months older. The younger brother, Edward Mason, was still studying. He was nineteen years old, and wanted to join the Army. He would have given up his books at any time, provided he might become an officer. To his great distress, his father insisted on his finishing his studies first, and believed that his son was much too young to join the army. Too young!
Like his brother, Mr Edward Mason was tall and dark-haired, and one might have even called him good-looking, had he not had such a sullen air about him.
George Mason congratulated his friend, and then whispered into his ear, "Remember your promise!"
Robert smiled and nodded.
During dinner, Robert had enough opportunity to watch his sister with George Mason, as she was sitting next to him. He could see her smile very often, and her eyes were sparkling. Robert decided to tell his friend that Catherine seemed to care for him, and that an offer of marriage might be received favourably.
Harriet, meanwhile, was monopolised by Edward Mason, who told her everything about the misfortune of being a younger son whose father did not at all support his ambitions. Harriet was extremely bored by this monologue, but tried to be polite. When she turned away from Mr Edward for a moment, however, she saw that Mr Martin was looking at her. His eyes were so tender, that she suddenly felt embarrassed. Why did he look at her that way? She gave him a shy smile and turned away from him.
After dinner, when the ladies had left the room, Robert took the opportunity to talk to George.
"George? Did you enjoy yourself, so far?"
George laughed. "Of course I did!" And then, in a lower voice, "Your sister was as charming as always."
Robert grinned. "The right introduction into the topic. Well, I have watched Cathy tonight and I think she would not say no if you proposed to her."
"How do you know? She was friendly and polite, as she always is, so how do you come to the conclusion that she likes me, or even more?"
"George, are you blind? I always thought you knew everything about women! Look into her eyes, George, you can read them like a book!"
George nodded. "I will, Robert. By the way, what do you think of Miss Smith?"
"Miss Smith? Well....."
George laughed good-humouredly.
"Do you know you actually blushed, Robert? Did I discover a secret there?"
Now Robert laughed, too. "There is no point in keeping anything secret from you, am I right George? "
"No point at all. I will find out everything. So, what does Miss Smith think about that?"
Robert shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know."
George looked at his friend in astonishment. "You do not know?"
"I am not like you, George," Robert said in a slightly angry voice. "I cannot talk to a girl the way you do. I wish I could, because it would be a lot easier for me."
George was silent for a moment. Then he said, "I will help you."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I said I will help you. What you need is a friend who tells you what to do. It is the least thing I can do for you, after all you have done for me."
Robert shook his head. "Please do not be offended, George, but I think I'd rather try to win her without your help. I want her to love me for what I am, not what I pretend to be."
George smiled. "Very well then. But if you need someone to talk to, you know where you can find me, do not you? What do you think? Shall we join the ladies now?"
While the gentlemen were not there, the young ladies prepared for their "opera performance". Harriet, who was responsible for the decorations, had just finished her work when the gentlemen entered.
Robert laughed. "What is going on here," he asked.
"Your sisters have prepared a surprise for you, Mr Martin, " was Harriet's answer. "Please take a seat, sir, they will be here in a moment."
Robert turned to his friend. "I knew the girls were up to some mischief when they were so eager to have me out of the house yesterday." And, smiling, he added, "Well, we will see what comes of it in a moment."
George laughed, too. "Did you do the decorations, Miss Smith?"
"Yes, I did, Mr Mason. I am not good at singing, and so I offered the Miss Martins my help in that respect."
"You did very well, Miss Smith. Did she not, Robert?"
Robert agreed. "Very well, indeed, Miss Smith."
Harriet thanked the two gentlemen and blushed at their praise. She was glad when the Miss Martins arrived and drew all the attention towards them. Catherine wore a "Greek" costume and hairstyle, impersonating a Muse.
Elizabeth was wearing men's clothes, and Robert recognised one of his own suits. He started laughing. "It actually suits you, Liz! But what does all that mean?"
Elizabeth stepped forward, and cleared her throat. She unfolded a piece of paper, bowed in a theatrical manner and started her speech. It was a short speech, consisting of rhymes that described incidents in Robert Martin's life up to this day. Everyone laughed and was in good spirits.
After Elizabeth had finished her speech, she went to the piano and accompanied her sister, who was singing an aria. Catherine Martin had an extraordinarily beautiful voice, and her audience was deeply impressed.
"She knew exactly what would please me most," Robert said to George. "I love to hear her sing."
Then the two sisters gave Robert their present. It was a set of embroidered handkerchiefs.
Robert was surprised. "Did you take to embroidery, Liz?"
"Well, to be honest Rob, Harriet helped me."
"Really? I will have to go and thank her then."
He got up and went over to Harriet, who was sitting between Mrs Martin and Mrs Charles. Mrs Charles was talking endlessly, and Harriet and Mrs Martin had nothing to do but nodding and saying, "Very true, Mrs Charles," from time to time.
"Miss Smith?"
Harriet looked up. "Mr Martin?"
"My sister has just told me that you helped her with her present. I want to thank you for your effort."
"It was not at all an effort, Mr Martin."
"Did you enjoy this evening, Miss Smith?"
"Oh yes, very much, thank you Mr Martin. Does not your sister have a very beautiful voice?"
"Yes indeed. Do you sing, too, Miss Smith?"
Harriet smiled. "No, Mr Martin. I have no talent for singing. But I like listening to music, especially to your sisters."
Robert smiled. "In that case, I am going to ask Catherine to sing some more."
Mrs Martin, who had overheard parts of that conversation, smiled. Her suspicion was confirmed; these two young people had taken a fancy to each other. She certainly approved of it. She approved of everything that made her son happy, and she liked Harriet Smith. And while Catherine sang one more song with her brother, she decided to help this couple as well as she could.
There was another person, however, who had noticed the understanding between Robert and Harriet, and did not approve of it at all. It was Edward Mason. He had taken a fancy for Harriet Smith. Nothing serious, really, he was not in love, but he was attracted to her beauty, and he thought that an affair with Harriet Smith might brighten up his summer vacation a bit.
There must be something I can do about that, he thought. I want her to be in love with me, not with that blockhead Robert Martin.
Chapter 16
The next day, Elizabeth asked Harriet to take a walk with her. She had also asked Catherine, but Mrs Martin wanted Catherine to stay at home to help her with some work. So Elizabeth and Harriet set off on their own.
Mrs Martin had kept Catherine at home on purpose. Late in the evening, after the guests had left, Robert had come to talk to her. It had been a long and earnest conversation. Robert had told her that George Mason had asked for Catherine's hand in marriage. Both, mother and son, approved of George Mason's plans, and they decided to give George an opportunity to talk to Catherine alone.
Robert had invited George for the next day, and was determined to be out of reach for some time after George's arrival.
So, when George Mason entered Mrs Martin's parlour, he found nobody but Mrs and Miss Martin.
"Good morning, Mrs Martin, Miss Martin!" He bowed.
"Good morning, Mr Mason! What a surprise to see you here. Are you here to visit my son, Mr Mason?"
"Yes, madam, he invited me yesterday."
Mrs Martin turned to Catherine. "Do you know where Robert is? "
Catherine shook her head. "No, Mother, I have not seen him since breakfast."
Mrs Martin rose. "That is strange! Robert never forgets an appointment! He cannot be very far. I will go and look for him, if you will excuse me for a moment."
With these words, she left the room and left Catherine and George Mason alone.
"Please take a seat, Mr Mason. I am sure my mother and brother will be back any minute," Catherine said.
George took a seat, but he was quite sure that Robert and Mrs Martin would not be back "any minute", as Catherine had said.
What a sly person Robert is, he thought. He invited me, just to give me the chance to talk to his sister. What a pair of comedians he and his mother are!
"Miss Martin, I think I did not yet compliment you on your singing yesterday. I was deeply impressed."
Catherine smiled radiantly. "Do you really think so, Mr Mason?"
"Oh yes, I do."
He got up and went across the room towards Catherine. "Miss Martin, why don't you ever take my compliments seriously? Is there something about me that makes me appear - unreliable?"
Catherine looked up into his face. He is very serious at the moment, she thought.
"Well, Mr Mason," she answered hesitatingly, "You seem to be very generous with your compliments. Perhaps they would be appreciated more if there were less of them around?"
George was astonished and hurt. He sat down next to Catherine and looked into her eyes.
"Miss Martin, is this what you think of me? Do you think I am a flirt? Someone who pays compliments that do not mean anything? If you think so, you are mistaken. I always mean what I say, Miss Martin."
Especially everything I say to you...
He paused a moment, then he took her hand. "Miss Martin - Catherine - I just want to ask you one thing. Do you really despise me so much?"
Catherine looked into his eyes. He seemed to be extremely distressed.
"Mr Mason," she answered slowly, " I do not despise you at all. On the contrary..."
She stopped, unable to speak on. The expression in George's face had changed completely, he was infinitely relieved.
"Catherine, could you imagine yourself-" He stopped.
How am I going to ask her, he thought. Then he tried again.
"Catherine, you may have noticed by now what I am trying to say, but nevertheless, I will try it again. I am - desperately in love with you, and if you made up your mind to marry me, I'd be the happiest man alive."
Catherine could not speak for a moment. She had never felt so much happiness as she felt now, and she hoped that this moment might never end.
George misinterpreted her silence. "You do not have to answer now, if you do not want to. Take your time to make your decision." He sighed. "I would do everything to make you happy, Catherine."
"I know you will."
Now George dared to look into her face again. "Is that a yes?"
Catherine nodded.
"Oh Cathy! You do not know what I've been through! And all just because I believed you did not like me!"
With these words, he embraced Catherine, and they kissed.
They did not notice that the door had opened, until Robert cleared his throat. They both turned towards him. "I presume you are engaged to my sister by now, George," he said, smiling.
The couple agreed.
"In that case, let me congratulate you!" Robert embraced his sister. "I hope you will be very happy!"
Then Mrs Martin entered the room as well, congratulated the couple and welcomed Mr Mason in her family. "I think this is cause for a celebration, Mr Mason. What do you think, will your family come to dine with us tomorrow?"
"Oh, I think they will, madam."
"Let me tell you, Mr Mason, you will be welcome to visit us at any time."
"Thank you very much indeed, madam!"
Then he took leave of the family, not without noticing that Robert winked and smiled at him.
"Robert ?"
" Yes?"
" I will never forget what you did for me. You knew that Catherine would be alone with me, I guess?"
Robert laughed. "I made sure she would be alone with you, yes. I knew you would not let an opportunity like that slip away."
George laughed, too, and turned to leave.
"Another thing, George!"
George Mason turned around.
"Make her happy, will you?"
"You can count on me, Robert. I will do everything in my power to make her happy."
He bowed to the ladies, and left.
When Elizabeth and Harriet came back, Catherine told them the happy news immediately. Both were very excited, and congratulated Catherine with all their heart.
"You know, Cathy, I have suspected you of being in love with Mr Mason for quite some time now. You know I always teased you! I am so happy for you!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
Then Harriet took both Catherine's hands.
"I wish you all the best, dearest Catherine! I am sure Mr Mason will be a good husband!"
She turned to Robert. "Now is that not a pleasant surprise, Mr Martin?"
Robert smiled. "Very pleasant, Miss Smith," he said.
"I think it must be wonderful to love somebody and to be loved in return," Harriet went on dreamily.
Robert looked into her eyes. "Very true, Miss Smith."
Chapter 17
The next day, Robert had to leave early. He had to go to Kingston, with Harris, the shepherd, to sell some wool. But he promised his mother to be back until dinner.
When the dinner guests arrived, however, he had not yet arrived from Kingston, and his mother and sisters began to feel uneasy about that. Besides, big black clouds were gathering in the sky, and a thunderstorm was more than likely.
Mrs. Martin and her guests waited for more than half an hour, before they went into the dining room. Still no sign from Robert Martin or Harris. Mrs. Martin was worried, although she did not want to show it. It was not at all like her son to be late. She could not help remembering a day, nearly a year ago. It had been a day like this....
Harriet felt that Mrs. Martin was anxious, and was a bit uneasy herself. She wanted to help Mrs. Martin, but did not know how. Harriet was sure that nothing had happened to Mr Martin, but then, one could never be really sure.
Dinner was already over, and they all assembled in the drawing room. Mrs. Martin suggested a game of cards. She wanted to distract herself. Catherine preferred playing the piano, and George joined her. Elizabeth sat down in the window seat, pretending to read but occasionally gazing out of the window.
So Harriet found herself at the card table with Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Mason and Mr Mason. They started to play, and soon Harriet noticed that Edward Mason was slowly, but surely drawing his chair closer to hers.
"May I help you, Miss Smith," he asked.
"If you want to, sir," was Harriet's answer.
She was not at all pleased with Mr Edward Mason being so near her, but she did not know how to avoid it without being rude. She did not like Edward Mason. There was something - uncanny about him. He was not at all like his brother.
Half an hour later, Mr Martin had still not arrived. Mrs. Martin had no longer the strength to conceal her fear.
"Where can he be? What has happened to him," she cried.
Elizabeth went to her mother and put her arm around her mother's shoulder. " I am sure he is fine, Mother. He will be here any minute." Mrs. Martin trembled.
"Miss Smith, would you be so kind as to go and ask Mrs. Simms to make some tea for me?"
"I can go, Mother," Catherine offered.
"No, child, please stay here with me."
Harriet rose. "I will be back in a minute, Mrs. Martin." She felt a strong compassion for that lady. She seemed so extremely worried. Why?
Harriet went out into the hall and was just turning towards the kitchen, when the front door opened and Robert Martin entered the house. He was drenched, and looked pale and tired.
"Mr Martin," Harriet exclaimed. "Thank God you have come home at last!"
Robert smiled faintly. "Did you miss me, Miss Smith?"
"Of course we did! Your mother is exceedingly worried about you!"
He sighed. "I thought so. I had better go and see her immediately."
With these words, he entered the drawing room, and Harriet went into the kitchen to ask Mrs. Simms for a cup of tea.
When she returned, Mr Martin was just in the middle of his narrative of what had happened.
Harris and he had been caught in the rain, and so they had taken shelter in an old barn by the road. First they had thought that it would clear up soon, but when it had still been raining an hour later, they had decided to go on in spite of the rain. The road was not in a good condition, though, and so their journey home took them more time than usual.
"I can assure you, Mother, both Harris and I are perfectly well. We are just drenched to the skin, tired and hungry, that is all."
He turned to his guests. "I must apologise for my being so late and spoiling your evening. If you will just excuse me for a few minutes now, I will change and join you again afterwards."
Mrs. Martin was greatly relieved, and so were her daughters. They had all feared the worst, although they would not have admitted it.
After a few minutes, Robert joined them again, and as Mrs. Martin's anxiety had gone now, the evening turned out to be pleasant after all. The only thing that spoiled it, from Harriet's point of view, was that Edward Mason seemed to be determined to pay his attentions to her and that she could not get rid of him. Robert did notice that, too, and he decided to keep an eye on Edward Mason.
The guests had left, and Harriet was preparing to retire into her room, when she felt someone touching her arm.
"May I talk with you for a moment, Miss Smith?"
Harriet nodded. "Certainly, Mr Martin."
"Please take a seat. I think I owe you an explanation, Miss Smith."
"An explanation of what, Mr Martin?"
"Of what happened tonight."
"But you already told us, did you not? "
"I told you what happened to me, yes, but I was thinking of explaining why my mother acted the way she did."
"Oh, I do not think I need an explanation, Mr Martin. She is your mother, so it is perfectly natural for her to worry if you do not return home in time."
Robert sighed. " That is not the only reason, I am afraid. You know my father died last year, do not you, Miss Smith?"
"Your sisters told me about that, yes."
"Did they tell you how he died?"
"It was an accident, was not it?"
"That is right. But I will tell you more about the circumstances. He had some business in Kingston that day and he set off early in the morning, determined to be back by teatime. We were not worried first, when he was late, because we thought that one thing or the other had detained him. Then one of the stablemen came in and told me that my father's horse had just returned, all by itself, and that it was injured. So Harris and I went to look for my father."
He paused a moment and turned towards the window.
"When we found him, it was already getting dark. He was still alive, but so weak, and I could see that he was badly hurt. We could not move him without help, so I decided to stay with him and sent Harris to Highbury to fetch Mr Perry and some men to help us."
He turned towards Harriet.
"I asked him what had happened, but he could not tell me. He said all he could remember was that he fell from his horse, nothing more. All I could do for him was sit there with him and watch him die. When Harris arrived with some men and Mr Perry, there was nothing to be done for him any more."
"What a sad story, Mr Martin!"
"Well, when I did not return from Kingston today..."
"Your mother was convinced that something had happened to you, too. Poor Mrs. Martin! What agony she must have suffered!"
"I told you this, Miss Smith, because I wanted you to know the reason for my mother's behaviour. She is not at all irrational. Her fear is reasonable, in a way."
"I am glad you told me, Mr Martin. I hope I can be of better use next time."
Robert smiled. "I hope there will not be a next time, Miss Smith."
Later, in her room, Harriet reflected on what Mr Martin had told her.
"It must be terrible to lose a beloved person like that," she thought. "Poor Mr Martin!"
Chapter 18
Robert remembered this evening very often, too. He remembered the moment when he had entered the house, and had heard Miss Smith say, "Thank God you have come home at last!"
She had seemed so glad and relieved to see him - was that only on his mother's account? Or could he hope that she cared for him? Loved him, even? After all, since that evening, Miss Smith talked to him more often, and she did not look so reserved any more.
Harriet loved living on the farm. She soon made friends beside the Martins, like Harris, the shepherd. She had met him one morning when she was walking, and she had praised the flock so highly (especially the lambs), that he was quite fond of her. Soon Robert Martin could go nowhere on his farm without hearing Miss Smith praised.
George Mason was now a regular visitor on Abbey Mill Farm, and Harriet liked him very much. Mr Mason made her laugh very often, and she liked him even more when she saw the way he treated Catherine. They were so very much in love with each other, everybody could see that.
Elizabeth, although she was happy for her sister, was sometimes disappointed. Catherine had always been there for her, and now she did not have much time for her any more. She consoled herself with spending a lot of time with Harriet.
Harriet had never been so happy as at the moment. The Martins were the family she had always longed for. Catherine and Elizabeth could not have been dearer to her if they had been her sisters. Mrs. Martin treated her so kindly, just as Harriet had always wished her mother to be. And Mr Martin, well, she liked him, but she could not interpret his behaviour towards her.
First, he had been rather reserved. Then he had been exceedingly gallant to her, and at the moment, it seemed, they were good friends. She decided to talk about it with Elizabeth. Elizabeth knew her brother very well, and maybe she could tell her what it all meant.
So, when they went for a walk one day, she asked Elizabeth, "Pray, Elizabeth, what do you think? Does your brother like me?"
Elizabeth stopped. "Of course he does. Why do you ask?"
Harriet sighed. "I do not know. It is just that he is so strange, sometimes."
"My brother strange? In what respect?"
Harriet hesitated. "I do not know how to express it, Elizabeth. But he looks at me in a strange way, sometimes, and he is so gallant....."
"So being gallant means being strange, Harriet?"
Harriet blushed. "No, you are right, it does not."
Elizabeth looked at Harriet earnestly. "You can be absolutely sure, Harriet. My brother likes you very much. What about you? Do you like him?"
"Oh yes, I do! He is so nice, and so obliging."
Elizabeth smiled.
My plan is getting on pretty well, she thought. Robert is in love already, and Harriet will soon be. Well done, Liz!
They went on for a while. None of the ladies spoke a word. Suddenly they heard someone calling them from behind.
"Miss Martin! Miss Smith! Wait a moment, please!"
They turned around and saw Edward Mason coming towards them. Elizabeth sighed.
"Look at him! Why cannot he be a bit more like his brother? He is such a bore! We will have to walk with him, I am afraid. It would be rude if we did not." Harriet agreed.
When Edward Mason reached them, they both curtsied politely.
"What a pleasant surprise to meet you here, Mr Mason," Elizabeth said with a forced smile.
"Oh Miss Martin, you are very obliging! Miss Smith, your beauty is overwhelming, as always!"
Edward Mason looked at Harriet in a way that would have made any woman blush with shame and that made her hair stand on end. She did not exactly understand what this sort of look meant, but she was sure it meant nothing good.
So, when they walked on, she took care to have Elizabeth between herself and Edward Mason. Edward's behaviour had roused Elizabeth's suspicion, too.
As soon as they arrived at home and Edward Mason had left, she asked, "Harriet, did you notice that Mr Edward Mason was paying particular attentions to you this afternoon?"
Harriet sighed. "Although I do not know why. I never did anything to encourage him."
Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully. "That is right. Well, we'll better take care."
Ten minutes later, Mrs. Martin and Catherine joined them. They had visited Mrs. Mason and had just returned. Catherine was excited, because she had some news to tell them.
"Harriet, do you remember when we met Miss Woodhouse and her governess in winter?"
Harriet nodded and looked at her expectantly.
"Well, you said that there was a rumour that she was engaged to Mr Weston."
"Yes, I did."
"That rumour is true, Harriet! Miss Taylor is going to marry Mr Weston in August!"
Harriet smiled. "I thought so. We know that Miss Nash is the best informed lady in Highbury, and she told me of it in the first place." Everybody laughed.
"I wonder what Miss Woodhouse will do without Miss Taylor," Harriet went on.
"As far as I know, she has not got another companion."
Elizabeth answered, "I am sure we will not have to worry about Miss Woodhouse. She will find someone else, I guess, and perhaps she will also marry soon."
Harriet laughed. "And who will be Miss Woodhouse's husband?"
Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "I do not know. Mr Elton, perhaps? Or Mr Knightley?"
"Now Liz, do not be ridiculous, "Catherine exclaimed laughingly. "Mr Knightley, indeed. He is much older than Miss Woodhouse."
"Oh, we will see. But another topic. Did you notice, Cathy, that the day after tomorrow is Harriet's birthday?"
Catherine looked surprised. "Oh dear, I nearly forgot about it! I am so glad you reminded me."
Elizabeth grinned. "You have so many things to think about at the moment, I think we can forgive you."
Later in the evening, they were all in the drawing room. Elizabeth opened the window and leaned out.
"What a lovely evening! Why do not we all go out for a walk?"
Robert went over to the window, too. "But it is already getting dark, Liz."
Elizabeth pointed to the full moon. "I do not think it is getting that dark tonight."
Robert laughed. "Very well then. Let us go for a walk!"
He turned around. "Does anybody want to join us?"
George Mason, who was sitting between Harriet and Catherine, said, "That sounds like fun! Shall we join them?"
Catherine approved. George turned to Harriet. "Miss Smith! You will come with us, too, will you not?"
Harriet got up. "I should be glad to. I will go and fetch my shawl."
Ten minutes later, they met at the front door. They decided to walk to the wood. While Harriet had been in her room, they had asked Robert to walk with Harriet ahead of the others, so they could talk about Harriet's birthday without her overhearing it. Robert was glad to do so. He offered Harriet his arm, and they went out into the evening. It was nearly dark now, but they could see the outlines of the trees against the horizon. Some stars were visible in the sky, and thanks to the full moon, they could see everything around them quite clearly. The scent of flowers was in the air, and they could hear the party behind them, giggling, whispering and laughing.
"They must have something very amusing to talk about, " Harriet said.
Robert gave a short laugh. "I think so," he said.
Harriet looked at him curiously. "Do you know what they are talking about?"
"Not exactly, no."
"Not exactly? So you do have an idea?"
Robert laughed. "Miss Smith, really, I cannot tell you what they are talking about."
They went on, and after a few minutes, they could not hear the others any more. Harriet turned around, but she could not see anyone.
"Mr Martin! They are gone!"
Robert looked around. "Well, I am sure they are not too far. And I absolutely trust my friend George. He will take good care of my sisters, I am certain." He paused for a moment.
"But if you are afraid of walking on without them, we had better walk back."
"Oh no, that is not necessary. They will turn up sooner or later, I think."
They came to a clearing, and Harriet decided to rest for a while. She sat down on a log, and Robert took a seat next to her.
After a while, Harriet said," Will you meet Mr Harris tomorrow, Mr Martin?"
Robert looked surprised. "Harris? I think so, yes. Why do you ask, Miss Smith?"
"Remember me to him, will you? He is such a nice fellow!"
Robert laughed. "Oh yes, he is. I will tell him you inquired after him. He'll be honoured, I guess. Did you ever meet his son?"
"No, I did not. How old is he?"
"He is nine or ten years old, and a real rascal sometimes. But one can never be really angry with him."
Harriet laughed. "That sounds interesting! I would like to meet him."
"Well, if you happen to see a boy who is up to some mischief or other, that is him."
They were silent for a while.
Then Robert pointed to the sky. "Look, Miss Smith!"
Harriet looked up and saw a streak of light in the sky. "A falling star! How beautiful," she sighed.
Robert looked at her from the side. "How beautiful she is," he thought, and he longed to put his arms around her, kiss her, and tell her about his feelings...
"Did you make your wish, Miss Smith?"
"Oh yes, I did. I wished..."
"Shhh, Miss Smith. Do not tell me, or your wish will not come true."
Now Harriet noticed his gaze, and somehow it made her feel strange. Her heart was beating, and she looked into his eyes. There it was, the same strange look he had given her so often, only it did not make her feel nervous now. There was so much feeling in the way he looked at her...
"Oh look, here they are," Elizabeth shouted. Both Robert and Harriet jerked and turned towards her.
"We've been looking for you for hours! Naughty Harriet, I already thought you had eloped with my brother."
Harriet blushed, and Robert said, "Do not be ridiculous, Liz. Where have you been, by the way?"
"We have been walking over there."
Robert got up and assisted Harriet in getting up, too.
"I guess we'd better go back home now."
On the way back to the farm, Harriet thought of that enchanted moment with Mr Martin. Could it be that he was in love with her? No, certainly not. She was not the sort of girl men fell in love with. But then she had to admit that she would have nothing against Mr Martin being in love with her.
Robert, too, was thinking about that moment. It had certainly been the most beautiful moment in his life. And he could not help wondering what would have happened if Elizabeth had turned up a few minutes later.
Chapter 19
The next morning, Robert met Harris.
"G'morning, sir!"
"Good morning, Harris! Is everything all right with the flock?"
Harris overlooked the flock with pride. "Jus' look at 'em, sir! Never seen so fine a flock before."
Robert laughed. "You've done good work, Harris! By the way, one of the ladies wants me to greet you. She called you a 'fine fellow' yesterday."
"Are you talking of Miss Smith?"
"Exactly."
"Oh, such a pretty gal, Miss Smith is! An' as sweet as an angel!"
"Well, I wanted to ask a favour from you, Harris."
"Favour? What favour?"
Robert grinned. "I'd like to borrow your son."
Harris looked at Robert, all astonishment. "Wha' do you want that rascal for? Y' know wha' he did yesterday?"
Robert laughed. "I'd rather not know. Well, tomorrow is Miss Smith's birthday. I thought little David would like to come and sing to her."
Harris thought for a moment. Then he said," An' what if he do not behave?"
"Oh, I am sure he will behave. Tell him he will get a huge piece of cake if he does well."
"Now that'll make him behave, I am sure. I never seen such a glutton as me son is!"
So both men agreed that Davey Harris was to come to the farmhouse the next evening.
Mrs. Martin, meanwhile, asked Harriet to go for a walk with her in the garden. She wanted to give her daughters enough time to prepare their birthday surprise for Harriet. And besides, she wanted to talk to Harriet and find out more about her feelings for Robert.
"Do you like being here, Miss Smith?"
"Oh yes, Mrs. Martin, very much. It is so very beautiful!"
"So you do not mind living on a farm?"
"No, Mrs. Martin. To be honest, I always wanted to live on a farm, ever since I was a little girl!"
"Really?"
"Oh yes, I spent my early childhood on Mrs. Jones's farm. I loved living there."
"Mrs. Jones's farm? I do not think I ever heard about Mrs. Jones. Is that farm anywhere near Highbury?"
"Oh no, it is not in Surrey at all. It is in Berkshire."
"I see. So you are used to that sort of life."
After a while, Mrs. Martin said, "It will soon be harvest time, Miss Smith, and that means that the four of us will be alone very often. My son will have a lot to do."
She cast a sidelong glance at Harriet to see her reaction.
Harriet seemed disappointed, but she said," Mr Martin works very hard. You must be very proud of your son."
"It is impossible for anybody to be a better son than he is, and I am sure, whenever he marries, he will make a good husband too."
Mrs Martin looked at Harriet, who seemed to be embarrassed. "Not that I want him to marry, that is. I am in not hurry at all," she added, quickly.
They arrived at the summerhouse. "What do you think Miss Smith, shall we have tea in the summer house tomorrow?"
"Oh, that would be lovely!"
Mrs. Martin smiled. "Very well then."
This plan, however, had to be given up the next day. There had been a thunderstorm in the night, and now it was raining continuously. Harriet was disappointed, but she did not want to show it. She had imagined a delightful afternoon with her friends, and now they were sitting in the drawing room and felt rather bored. Besides, Harriet did not feel really well, she had had a headache all night, and now she felt tired and weak.
I hope I am not falling ill, she thought. I do not want to be a burden to the Martins.
She was sitting at the desk, writing a letter to Mrs. Goddard and suddenly felt giddy.
"Are you unwell, Miss Smith?" Harriet looked up and saw that Mr Martin was looking at her anxiously. She smiled.
"I am well, thank you Mr Martin."
He gave her an inquiring, earnest look. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, Mr Martin, I am sure. I am just a little tired, that is all."
Catherine looked at her and said, "In that case, Harriet, you should lie down a bit."
Harriet got up, and had to seize the chair, otherwise she might have lost her balance.
"I think that is a good idea, Catherine."
Catherine had noticed Harriet's unsteadiness and exchanged a worried glance with her brother.
"Do you want me to help you, Harriet?"
"No, thank you Catherine. There is nothing wrong with me that cannot be made amends with a little sleep."
Harriet left the room, and Robert turned to his mother.
"Do you think she told us the truth, Mother? I thought she looked rather unwell."
Mrs. Martin thought for a moment, then she said," I will go and check on Miss Smith later. Perhaps she is really just tired. We will let her sleep for a while and see later."
"Do you think we should cancel the invitations for tonight?"
Mrs. Martin shook her head. "I do not think so. Miss Smith has been looking forward to this evening. It would be a disappointment for her."
"But what if Miss Smith is not well?"
"In that case, I am sure she will stay in her room and will be excused."
There was a knock at the door, and Harriet woke up. When she lifted her head, she felt the pain in her head again. It felt as if someone was hitting her with a hammer from the inside of her skull.
"Wait a moment," she said, got up and slipped into her dressing gown. She heard Elizabeth's voice from outside.
"Are you all right, Harriet?"
"Yes I am. You can come in if you like."
The door opened, and Elizabeth entered the room.
"Good lord, Harriet, you look as pale as a ghost!"
Harriet smiled faintly. "I've just got a bit of a headache, nothing serious, I assure you. Am I late?"
"Not at all. Do you want me to help you?"
Harriet shook her head. "No, I will be ready directly." She frowned. "If I could only get rid of this headache."
"I will go and ask Mrs Simms. Maybe she knows something."
Elizabeth left the room to go to the kitchen, and Harriet started getting dressed. She was nearly finished, when Elizabeth returned with a small bottle in her hand.
"Here you are, Harriet. Rub your forehead and temples with this and you will soon feel better. By the way, the Masons have just arrived."
Harriet thanked Elizabeth and asked her to go downstairs and excuse her for a few more minutes. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. The pain was getting worse. If only she could stay in her room now! But she had to go downstairs, everybody was waiting for her. Harriet sighed, got up and went to the door.
She had just gone halfway down the stairs, when the drawing room door opened and Catherine looked out.
" There you are, Harriet! I have been worried about you!" She looked at Harriet earnestly. "Are you feeling better now?"
Harriet smiled. "Much better Catherine, thank you."
Catherine led her into the drawing room, and Harriet was welcomed by everyone who was there. They all expressed their pleasure of seeing Harriet, and they wished her all the best for her birthday.
During dinner, Harriet forced herself to eat. She was hungry, but the thought of eating made her feel sick. Still, she did not want to offend Mrs Martin.
Robert watched her from a distance. She looked so pale. Poor girl, he thought. She is so brave.
Edward Mason was talking to Harriet continuously, but she did not really listen. Some polite remarks now and then were all she could manage.
What an arrogant fellow,Robert thought. Can he not see she is not well? Can't he just leave her alone?
George noticed that, too, and tried to silence his brother by giving him warning looks from the other side of the table. Edward, however, did not care. He was in high spirits and wanted to make himself agreeable, not seeing that he achieved just the opposite.
After dinner, the ladies went into the drawing room.
Elizabeth had noticed before that Harriet had scarcely eaten anything, and so she asked her, "Are you sure you want to stay with us, Harriet? You look so pale; everybody knows you are not feeling well. Please do not feel obliged to stay if you do not feel up to it. Everybody would understand you."
Harriet shook her head. "It is not that bad, really, Elizabeth. And you have taken so much trouble with preparing this evening; I would feel guilty if I spoiled it. I will take a seat by the fire, and I am sure I will be fine."
Elizabeth led her to a seat, made her sit down and said, "Very well then, Harriet. But promise me to go to your room at once when you are feeling worse."
Harriet smiled weakly. "I promise."
When the gentlemen joined them, they brought a boy with them. It was Davey Harris, the shepherd's son. The boy seemed to be ill at ease. He was wearing his Sunday clothes, which made him feel even more uncomfortable. And then, all the ladies were looking at him, and Miss Smith looked like an angel, just as his father had told him, and...
"Mr Martin," he whispered and tugged at Robert's sleeve.
"Yes David?"
"Do I have to congratulate first or do you want me to sing first?"
"The congratulations first, David."
The boy stepped forward to Harriet, bowed, and said, "Miss Smith, happy birthday, and many happy returns, an' me father and ma sends their com- com- compliments...and....and..."
He got stuck in his speech and blushed. He looked into Miss Smith's face and blushed even more.
Harriet smiled at the boy radiantly. "Thank you very much, David. You did this very nicely. Give my regards to your mother and father. They must be very proud of you."
"No they ain't. Me Dad always calls me a rascal."
Harriet laughed. "I am sure he is proud of you, no matter what he says, David."
Robert touched the boy's shoulder. "Now you can sing your song, David."
The boy sang a folk song in a beautiful, clear voice. His audience applauded delightedly.
"I am sure you did all this for me, Mr Martin," Harriet said. "I do not know how to thank you. You are always so friendly."
Robert looked into her eyes. "Your happiness is a sufficient reward for me, Miss Smith."
Then he turned to David. "And now to your reward, David. Are you hungry?"
The boy nodded.
"That's good! Off you go to the kitchen. Mrs Simms has saved a huge piece of cake for you."
The boy beamed. "Thank you sir! Thank you so much!"
He bowed and left the room.
Harriet turned to Robert. "That was the infamous Davey Harris, then? He looked rather harmless to me."
Robert laughed. "That is his secret, I guess. Nobody ever suspects him until he has done some mischief."
Harriet laughed, too.
"That is a beautiful shawl you are wearing, Miss Smith."
"Do you like it, Mr Martin?"
"Oh yes, it is very becoming."
Harriet smiled. "Your sisters gave it to me as a birthday present. You are all so kind to me."
"It is just what you deserve, Miss Smith."
Harriet was silent for a few moments, then she said, "I think I will go and give David Harris a little reward as well."
She got up and left the room, heading upstairs to her room. Nobody noticed that Edward Mason left the room shortly afterwards.
Harriet had been in the kitchen for a few minutes, talking to Mrs Simms and giving Davey Harris some money. When she left the kitchen to join the party in the drawing room, she noticed that someone was standing in the shadow of the staircase, waiting for her. It was Edward Mason.
"Ah, Miss Smith, here you are. I have been waiting for you."
"Why, Mr Mason?"
He smiled at her in an unpleasant manner. "Do not pretend you do not know, Miss Smith. You have been very unfriendly to me this evening."
"I am sorry if you had that impression, Mr Mason. I had no intention of slighting you."
With these words, Harriet tried to walk past Edward Mason, but without success. He grabbed hold of her arm and said, "Not so hasty, Miss Smith."
Harriet looked at his face. He had a vicious look in his eyes. Suddenly she was afraid. What did he want?
"Mr Mason, if you do not let me go at once, I will scream!"
"And cause a scandal? Oh no, Miss Smith, you will not. I will let you go in a minute, anyway. All I want is a kiss."
Harriet shook her head. "No!"
"I am afraid no is the wrong answer, " he said.
"I think it is better if you leave my house immediately, Edward Mason!"
Edward turned around and was startled at seeing his brother and Robert Martin. Robert's voice sounded dangerously calm, but his eyes were telling a different story.
"Do not be mistaken by the fact that I am saying this calmly," he said. "Get out now."
Harriet had never seen Robert Martin like this. He was looking at Edward Mason coldly, his face seemed like stone. And his eyes......they were cold , too, but flashing with anger.
"But I..." Edward Mason stammered.
"I do not want to hear any excuses. You have behaved in a detestable manner to one of my guests. Now leave before I lose control of myself."
Edward looked at his brother. "But..."
George interrupted him. "I think he is right. Leave, I will think of an excuse."
Seeing that there was no way out of this situation, Edward left. Robert turned to Harriet, who was still standing there, trembling with fear.
"Are you well, Miss Smith?"
Harriet did not manage to say anything.
"Miss Smith?"
"I am...I am fine, thank you."
Robert took her arm and led her to a chair. "Take a seat, Miss Smith."
He looked at George. "Fetch my sister, George, but do not tell her..."
"Of course." George disappeared in the drawing room.
"Oh, Mr Martin, I am so sorry. I feel so ashamed!"
Robert looked at her. If I could only hold her,he thought, without frightening her even more.
"Miss Smith," he answered," there is nothing you have to be ashamed of. You did nothing wrong. It was not your fault."
"Mr Martin, please do not tell anybody. I could not bear it!"
Harriet's face was now streaked with tears, and had Edward Mason still been there, Robert might have knocked his teeth out.
"I promise I will not tell anybody, Miss Smith," he said and gave Harriet a handkerchief.
"And I will ask Mr Mason to keep quiet about this incident as well. I am sure he will."
"Thank you, Mr Martin." She returned the handkerchief. Then the drawing room door opened and Catherine hurried out.
"Dear Harriet! Is this really true? You fainted?"
George, who was behind her, gave Robert an imploring look.
"Yes, Cathy, that is right. Would you help Miss Smith and bring her to her room?"
"Of course." She went over to Harriet. "Just lean on me, Harriet, will you?"
Harriet thanked Catherine, and they both went upstairs.
"I thought it was better not to tell her the truth," George said. "If you choose to tell her...."
"No, I will not. Miss Smith asked me not to tell anybody."
"Fair enough, then. If anybody asks, we will tell them what I told Catherine."
They went back to the drawing room, and naturally everybody wanted to know what had happened to Miss Smith. George repeated his story, and when Catherine returned, everybody inquired after Harriet's state anxiously. Catherine told them that Harriet was in bed now, and that she was rather well, considering the circumstances.
The guests left shortly afterwards. Before George left, Robert touched his arm.
"George?"
"Yes?"
" You had better keep your brother away from here for a while. I do not know what I will do to him if he comes here again."
George nodded, and left.
Chapter 20
"I am sure he hates me for that," she sobbed. She had been so afraid of him in that moment, he had been so cold, and ....
On the other hand, he had been really nice and helpful.
No, that was just because he did not want to upset me, she thought.He'll wait until I am better, and then he'll send me back to Mrs Goddard's.
She tried to get to sleep, but without success. Whenever she closed her eyes, the whole scene passed before her again.
"If only I could die now," she sobbed. "I'd be better off then!"
After a while she fell asleep, but it was a sleep troubled with nightmares, and more than once Harriet woke up only to realise that she was still as miserable as before.
First thing the next morning, George Mason sent a note to Abbey Mill Farm to inquire after Miss Smith. While he was waiting for a reply, he decided to talk to his brother. What on earth had caused him to act in this way?
He went to Edward's room, knocked and entered the room without waiting for an answer. Edward was just getting dressed and looked at his brother in a hostile way.
"So, Mr Know-It-All Mason has come to tell me off, has he," he said tauntingly.
George slammed the door shut.
"You have no reason at all to talk to me like that, Edward. Have you gone completely mad?"
Edward had finished dressing now.
"You can talk as long as you like, George. I am not going to listen. If you want to stay here and talk to the wall, well, suits me, but I will leave now."
He went towards the door but did not get very far. George seized him by his collar and pushed him back.
"You can choose, Edward. You can listen to me, or you can listen to your father. If he finds out what has happened yesterday, you can forget about your plans once for all. I have not told him yet, but I am sure he might be interested."
"In that case, you will ruin Miss Smith's reputation."
"No, I will not, I will only ruin yours, and you know that."
Edward was silent for a while.
"I am waiting, Edward!"
"All right, all right," Edward finally said, reluctantly. "I will listen."
"Good. So why did you behave in such a disgusting manner?"
Edward shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know. Just for fun, I guess."
"Just for fun ? You must be mad to do a thing like that just for fun! "
"Perhaps I am in love with her?"
George shook his head. "No, you are not. If you were, you could not treat her the way you did. That is not love, that's something completely different. You do not know what love is."
"Ah, do I not?"
"To love a woman means to take care of her, care for her more than you do for yourself, and it means that you would never, under no circumstances, want to hurt her. You would not force her to do something that she does not want to do. You'd rather die than let this happen. This is love, Edward."
"Have you finished your sermon now? You should be a clergyman instead of a lawyer, you know. You are pretty good at preaching."
There was a knock at the door, and a maid brought a letter for Mr Mason. George took the letter, opened it and read it. It was from Catherine Martin, informing him that Miss Smith had not been able to leave her bedroom this morning, that she was feeling worse and that Robert had therefore sent for Mr Perry. George gave the letter to his brother.
"There, read it! You had better face the consequences of what you have done! I hope you are sufficiently proud of yourself. Well done, Edward Mason!"
Edward read the letter and looked at his brother. He seemed alarmed.
"What does that mean?"
"That means that Miss Smith is ill. She was feeling unwell yesterday, and I fear that your conduct has made it worse."
"But I did not want that!"
"Oh, I am sure you did not want that. All you wanted was to have a little bit of fun, right? A kiss, maybe more? And Miss Smith was just the right sort of girl for it. Very pretty, but shy and easily frightened. And, what makes it even better, without any connections. You know what, Edward? I despise you. I never thought I would say such a thing to my own brother, but it is true. I despise you and I am ashamed of you."
Edward was quiet and read the letter again.
"Is there nothing I can do? "
"Are you asking for my advice?"
"Yes, I do. You are still my brother, you know."
"What do you think you ought to do? "
"Well, I think I will apologise first..."
"Good idea."
"I will go to Abbey Mill Farm and ask Miss Smith to forgive me."
George shook his head. "I can tell you, if you only get near Abbey Mill Farm, Robert Martin will either set the dogs on you or beat the daylights out of you. I, personally, would prefer the dogs."
"Is he really so angry?"
" Even worse. I have never seen him like this before, and I have known him all my life."
"So what shall I do?"
"First of all, try to find a reason to leave us, or our parents will want to know why you do not come with us when we are visiting the Martins."
Edward nodded. "One of my university friends has invited me...."
"Good. Write him that you are going to accept the invitation and leave as soon as possible. And then write two more letters. One to Miss Smith, and one to Robert Martin. Tell them how sorry you are for what you have done. I will take these letters to Abbey Mill Farm myself."
Edward sat down at his desk. "Will you help me with that letter? "
"No. You must find the right words yourself."
An hour later, George Mason arrived at Abbey Mill Farm. He had his brother's letters with him, and he knew that his mission here was difficult. He knew Robert Martin would not be pleased about that letter, that he might not be willing to forgive Edward, but George sincerely hoped that he might listen to George's arguments. After all, Robert was a sensible man.
When he was alone with Robert and watched him read Edward's letter, he felt that his task was more difficult than he had thought. Robert's face hardened, and the flash in his eyes made George anxious. After Robert had finished reading, he threw the letter on the fire. Then he sat down and looked straight into George's eyes.
"So what?"
George did not quite understand him. "Pardon? "
"He feels sorry?"
"He does. You should have seen him this morning."
"He'd better thank his creator that I did not. If he had stayed just one minute longer yesterday, I'd have made him feel sorry."
"Robert?"
"Yes?"
"I cannot talk to you when you are like that."
Robert sighed. "I am sorry, George. I know it is not your fault, but he is your brother. You take his side, naturally."
"No, I do not. We have both seen what happened. How can you think that I am on his side? All I want is to bring that matter to a conclusion without attracting attention."
"So do I."
"Well, on whose side am I, then?"
Robert thought for a while. Then he said, " Your brother has written a letter to Miss Smith, too?"
"Yes, he has."
"Would you mind giving it to me? We cannot expect her to read any letters today. I will hand it over to her as soon as she feels better again. I hope it will not be too distressing for her."
"I read it. There is nothing distressing about it. He just wrote that he felt sorry for what he did and asked her forgiveness."
George took the letter and gave it to Robert, who put it into a drawer in his desk.
"Edward will leave us next Monday. He is going to visit a friend in Norwich. I thought it would be better if he left us for a while. I know it is much to ask for, after all that has happened, but would you allow him to come here once more and take his leave?" George asked.
"That thought does not please me at all, but I am afraid it is necessary. It might arouse suspicion if he did not." Robert sighed.
George rose. "I will leave you, then. Your sister is with Miss Smith, I guess?"
"Yes, she is. Do you want me to send for her?"
"No, please do not disturb her. But give my regards to her when you see her, will you?"
"I will."
"I will come back tomorrow, Robert." George smiled. "Cheer up! I know everything will turn out well."
Robert sighed. "I hope it will."