r
letters alone.

The first she had opened was Betty's, telling her of her father's
illness, which was attributed in great part to the distress and
perplexity caused by Lady Belamour's proposal. Had it not been for
this indisposition, both father and sister would have come to judge for
themselves before entertaining it for a moment; but since the journey
was impossible, he could only desire Betty to assure her sister that
no constraint should be put on her, and that if she felt the least
repugnance to the match, she need not consider her obliged to submit.
More followed about the religious duty of full consideration and prayer
before deciding on what would fix her destiny for life, but all was
so confusing to the girl, entirely unprepared as she was, that after
hastily glancing on in search of an explanation which she failed
to find, she laid it aside, and opened the other letter. It began
imperially

"MY COUSIN,

"No doubt you are already informed of the Honour that has been
done you by the Proposal that Mr. Amyas Belamour has made to your Father
for your Hand. It is no slight Compliment to a young Maid like you, from
one of the most noted Wits about Town in the last Reign; and you will
no doubt shew the Good Sense to esteem yourself fortunate beyond all
reasonable Expectations or Deserts of your own, as well as to act for
the Advantage of your Family. Be assured that I shall permit no foolish
Flightiness nor Reluctance to interfere with you true Welfare. I say
this, because, as you well know, your Father's Affection is strong and
blind, and you might easily draw him into a Resistance which could but
damage both his Health and his Prospects. On receiving the tidings
of your Marriage, I promise to settle on him the Manor House with an
Annuity of Three hundred Pounds; but if he should support you in any
foolish Refusal, I shall be obliged to inform him that I can dispense
with his Services; therefore you will do wisely to abstain from any
childish expressions of Distaste.

"On your Marriage, you will of course have the enjoyment of the Pin Money
with which Mr. Belamour will liberally endow you, and be treated in all
Respects as a Married Lady. My Daughters shall be sent to School, unless
you wish to make them your Companions a little longer. Expecting to
hear from you that you are fully sensible to the good Fortune and the
Obligations you are under to me,

"I remain
"Yours &c.