said
to me, that his sister had done me harm; and I almost trembled
as I asked myself, if I should not painfully miss (in spite of
my devoted attachment to Edward) that ready sympathy which I
had been so long used to, which it was in my nature to
require, and not in his to yield.

We were just then passing through some fields near Fulham, and
came to a deep ditch with a fence beyond it. Edward crossed
it; but strictly charged me not to attempt to follow him,
while he examined the next field, and found out another exit;
but piqued at his previous observations on my horsemanship, I
pushed Selim on, and with a flying leap arrived on the other
side. Edward joined me; and when I looked at him triumphantly,
he was quite pale.

We rode on without speaking for a few minutes; and when to
break this silence, I said to him, "I hope you admire my
courage?" he answered drily, "I dislike unnecessary emotions,
as much as you appear to delight in them."

After a pause, he added, "Such an instance of disobedience in
a wife would be inexcusable; and though submission may be only
a duty _after_ marriage, I own _I_ think it a charm before."

I held out my hand to Edward, with an imploring countenance.
He took it; and kissing it tenderly, said with a smile, "I am
like the mothers, Ellen, who scold their children when they
have been frightened about them; but still remember, my love,
that I would rather see you afraid of displeasing me, than
displaying a courage which never captivated me in a woman. It
is a dangerous way of working upon my feelings; and would, I
assure you, never answer."

As I had not heard from Alice before dinner, I concluded they
would come in the evening; and even while Edward was speaking
to me of some arrangements connected with our future plans, I
could not keep out of my thoughts a variety of conjectures as
to the tone and manner which Henry would adopt in this new
state of things. My eyes were fixed on a plan for altering the
house at Hillscombe, when a knock at the house-door turned my
hands cold and my cheeks hot, and a moment afterwards Alice
and Henry walked into the room. She came quietly up to me,
kissed me, and said in an earnest tone, "I am so glad you are
happy." I held out my hand to Henry, cold and trembling as it
was. He carried it hastily to his lips, which felt dry and
burning, and said in a rapid indistinct manner, so that no
ears but mine should catch the sense of his words, "I wish you
j