The Project Gutenberg EBook of Henrietta's Wish, by Charlotte M. Yonge

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: Henrietta's Wish

Author: Charlotte M. Yonge

Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5124]
Posting Date: April 8, 2009

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HENRIETTA'S WISH ***

Produced by Sandra Laythorpe, and the Victorian Women
Writers Project at Indiana University

HENRIETTA'S WISH;

OR, DOMINEERING

By Charlotte M. Yonge

CHAPTER I.

On the afternoon of a warm day in the end of July, an open carriage was
waiting in front of the painted toy-looking building which served as
the railway station of Teignmouth. The fine bay horses stood patiently
enduring the attacks of hosts of winged foes, too well-behaved to
express their annoyance otherwise than by twitchings of their sleek
shining skins, but duly grateful to the coachman, who roused himself now
and then to whisk off some more pertinacious tormentor with the end of
his whip.

Less patient was the sole occupant of the carriage, a maiden of about
sixteen years of age, whose shady dark grey eyes, parted lips, and
flushed complexion, were all full of the utmost eagerness, as every two
or three minutes she looked up from the book which she held in her hand
to examine the clock over the station door, compare it with her watch,
and study the countenances of the bystanders to see whether they
expressed any anxiety respecting the non-arrival of the train. All,
however, seemed quite at their ease, and after a time the arrival of the
railway omnibus and two or three other carriages, convinced her that the
rest of the world only now began to consider it to be due. At last the
ringing of a bell quickened everybody into a sudden state of activity,
and assured her that the much-desired moment was come. The cloud of
smoke was seen, the panting of the engine was heard, the train displayed
its length before the station, men ran along tapping the doors of the
carriages, and shouting a word which bore some distant resemblance to
"Teignmouth," and at the same moment various travellers emerged from the
different vehicles.

Her eye eagerly sought out on