would consent and that I should contrive to impress upon him the
propriety of his urging the completion of the marriage with as little
delay and ceremony as possible.

Frank and I made up a party to ride with them that forenoon, and we
took care to let them have an opportunity for an explanation. Laura was
in a gracious mood. Sir Charles acted on my advice, pressed his suit,
was accepted, explained his own wish to have the marriage concluded as
soon as possible, but at the same time saying that on that point as on
every other he should wish to consult her feelings in every respect,
and was given to understand that her sentiments coincided with his.
Having obtained her consent, he spoke to her father as soon as we
returned from our ride, and as the settlements he proposed were most
satisfactory, it was at once arranged. And it was settled that the
marriage should take place within a month.

When Sir Charles came to me the next morning, he was in extasies at the
successful termination of his suit, which he asserted was in a great
measure due to my good advice, and he urged me to attend him on the
happy occasion. As this afforded a good excuse for my remaining at the
Hall, and being on a good footing with Laura, I readily agreed. Laura
having expressed a wish that they should be quiet during the few weeks
she was to remain at home, it was arranged that the visits of some
friends who were expected should be postponed. Her aunt, immediately on
hearing of the marriage, returned to the Hall, but I made Laura give
her mother a hint that, though she did not like to say so to her aunt
herself, she would prefer being allowed to enjoy the privacy of an
apartment by herself. Her mother thought this was quite reasonable, and
another room was prepared for Miss Middleton. Frank was allowed to
remain at home till after the marriage, and we thus secured another
month of our delightful pastime to which we gave ourselves up without
scruple or reserve. Sir Charles, though unwilling to tear himself away
from the pleasure he was enjoying and anticipating, was obliged to go
to town to make the necessary arrangements. I was desirous before he
went to take a photographic view of him in the act of enjoying me, as I
thought that in the event of Laura being obliged to have recourse to
any compulsion upon him, her object would be better attained by making
him aware she was in possession of such a picture than by any reference
to me or explanation a