Mountain, though, and perhaps because, it had brought her no
good fortune. One marriage was enough for her, she said. Mr. Mountain
had amiably spent her little fortune and his own. Her last trinkets went
to pay his funeral; and, as long as Madam Warrington would keep her at
Castlewood, she preferred a home without a husband to any which as
yet had been offered to her in Virginia. The two ladies quarrelled
plentifully; but they loved each other: they made up their differences:
they fell out again, to be reconciled presently. When either of the boys
was ill, each lady vied with the other in maternal tenderness and care.
In his last days and illness, Mrs. Mountain's cheerfulness and kindness
had been greatly appreciated by the Colonel, whose memory Madam
Warrington regarded more than that of any living person. So that, year
after year, when Captain Franks would ask Mrs. Mountain, in his pleasant
way, whether she was going back with him that voyage? she would decline,
and say that she proposed to stay a year more.

And when suitors came to Madam Warrington, as come they would, she would
receive their compliments and attentions kindly enough, and asked more
than one of these lovers whether it was Mrs. Mountain he came after? She
would use her best offices with Mountain. Fanny was the best creature,
was of a good English family, and would make any gentleman happy. Did
the Squire declare it was to her and not her dependant that he paid his
addresses; she would make him her gravest curtsey, say that she really
had been utterly mistaken as to his views, and let him know that the
daughter of the Marquis of Esmond lived for her people and her sons,
and did not propose to change her condition. Have we not read how Queen
Elizabeth was a perfectly sensible woman of business, and was pleased to
inspire not only terror and awe, but love in the bosoms of her subjects?
So the little Virginian princess had her favourites, and accepted their
flatteries, and grew tired of them, and was cruel or kind to them as
suited her wayward imperial humour. There was no amount of compliment
which she would not graciously receive and take as her due. Her little
foible was so well known that the wags used to practise upon it.
Rattling Jack Firebrace of Henrico county had free quarters for months
at Castlewood, and was a prime favourite with the lady there, because
he addressed verses to her which he stole out of the pocket-books. Tom
Humbold of Spotsylva