ABSTRACT
When the time of her departure arrived, Louisa found herself too much agitated to give utterance to the adieu which trembled on her lips, but sinking on the shoulder of Mr. Howard, she sobbed in agony. Not much less a ected than herself, Mr. Howard pressed her to his heart with energetic tenderness; but wishing his example should fortify her against the grief of a rst separation, he with assumed cheerfulness spoke of the short time she would be absent, and/ of the pleasure he hoped she would experience in returning again to him, and to those scenes that were so dear to her. ‘Be careful of your health, my dear child,’ said he, ‘and in every di culty, to which your inexperience may expose you, apply to me. e good sense you possess will, if you are guided by it, preserve you from yielding to unavailing regrets. And I trust that when we meet again, I shall have no reason to lament having trusted you from me. Farewel! And may the Divine Protector of the fatherless restore you to me still innocent and happy!’ Her tears spoke the nature of her feelings, and the strength of her a ection for the benevolent protector of her youth, but words were denied her; and when seated in the carriage that was to convey her from him, she felt as if she should never again behold him, and ardently wished she had not consented to leave him./
As long as she could see him she leaned on the carriage window, waving her hand with a ectionate tenderness, and when a turn in the road hid him from her sight, she sunk back overcome with, emotion. Sir Walter and Lady Stanley both kindly soothed her, and had soon the satisfaction of seeing her regain a certain degree of composure; but this she did not e ect without an e ort to suppress those feelings which she conceived would be distressing to her friends. Lady
Stanley received her apologies with complacency, but could not help wondering that she should be so violently a ected at leaving a retirement, which to her Ladyship would have been insupportably irksome. Sir Walter, who knew better the state of her feelings than his lady, was not surprised, but most kindly exerted himself to compose her spirits./
She felt his kindness, and resolved not to appear ungrateful. By degrees the whole party became abstracted: Lady Stanley closed her eyes,
and reclined in a corner of the carriage; Sir Walter sunk into a deep reverie; and Louisa found herself perfectly at ease, because she was unobserved.
