And my Aura must be deaf to rakish young beaux and their
compliments. They never mean well by poor pretty maids. If you
believe them, they will only mock, flout, and jeer you in the end.
And if the young baronet should seek converse with you, promise me,
oh, promise me, Aurelia, to grant him no favour, no, not so much as
to hand him a flower, or stand chatting with him unknown to his
mother. Promise me again, child, for naught save evil can come of
any trifling between you. And, Aurelia, go to Nurse Dove in all
your difficulties. She can advise you where your poor sister cannot.
It will ease my heart if I know that my child will attend to her.
You will not let yourself be puffed up with flattery, nor be offended
if she be open and round with you. Think that your poor sister Betty
speaks in her. Pray our old prayers, go to church, and read your
Psalms and Lessons daily, and oh! never, never cheat your conscience.
O may God, in His mercy, keep my darling!"
So Aurelia cried herself to sleep, while Betty lay awake till the early
hour in the morning when all had to be prepared for the start. There
was to be a ride of an hour and a half before breakfast so as to give
the horses a rest. It was a terrible separation, in many respects more
complete than if Aurelia had been going, in these days, to America;
for communication by letter was almost as slow, and infinitely more
expensive.
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