ormersentimentitwasanimpulseofpure,thoughunacknowledgedfriendshipitwasaproofofhisownwarmandamiableheart,whichshecouldnotcontemplatewithoutemotionssocompoundedofpleasureandpain,thatsheknewnotwhichprevailed.
Heranswerstothekindnessandtheremarksofhercompanionswereatfirstunconsciouslygiven.Theyhadtravelledhalftheirwayalongtheroughlane,beforeshewasquiteawaketowhattheysaid.Shethenfoundthemtalkingof“Frederick.”
“Hecertainlymeanstohaveoneorotherofthosetwogirls,Sophy,”saidtheAdmiral“butthereisnosayingwhich.Hehasbeenrunningafterthem,too,longenough,onewouldthink,tomakeuphismind.Ay,thiscomesofthepeace.Ifitwerewarnow,hewouldhavesettleditlongago.Wesailors,MissElliot,cannotaffordtomakelongcourtshipsintimeofwar.Howmanydayswasit,mydear,betweenthefirsttimeofmyseeingyouandoursittingdowntogetherinourlodgingsatNorthYarmouth?”
“Wehadbetternottalkaboutit,mydear,”repliedMrsCroft,pleasantly“forifMissElliotweretohearhowsoonwecametoanunderstanding,shewouldneverbepersuadedthatwecouldbehappytogether.Ihadknownyoubycharacter,however,longbefore.”
“Well,andIhadheardofyouasaveryprettygirl,andwhatwerewetowaitforbesides?Idonotlikehavingsuchthingssolonginhand.IwishFrederickwouldspreadalittlemorecanvass,andbringushomeoneoftheseyoungladiestoKellynch.Thentherewouldalwaysbecompanyforthem.AndveryniceyoungladiestheybothareIhardlyknowonefromtheother.”
“Verygoodhumoured,unaffectedgirls,indeed,”saidMrsCroft,inatoneofcalmerpraise,suchasmadeAnnesuspectthatherkeenerpowersmightnotconsidereitherofthemasquiteworthyofherbrother“andaveryrespectablefamily.Onecouldnotbeconnectedwithbetterpeople.MydearAdmiral,thatpost!weshallcertainlytakethatpost.”
Butbycoollygivingthereinsabetterdirectionherselftheyhappilypassedthedangerandbyonceafterwardsjudiciouslyputtingoutherhandtheyneitherfellintoarut,norranfoulofadung-cartandAnne,withsomeamusementattheirstyleofdriving,whichsheimaginednobadrepresentationofthegeneralguidanceoftheiraffairs,foundherselfsafelydepositedbythemattheCottage.