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Boarham, that it did not anger me. ‘Well, Helen, how do you like Mr. Boarham now?’ said my aunt, as we took our seats in the carriage and drove away. ‘Worse than ever,’ I replied. She looked displeased, but said no more on that subject. ‘Who was the gentleman you danced with last,’ resumed she, after a pause—‘that was so officious in helping you on with your shawl?’
Wilmot and Boarham have severally taken occasion by his neglect of me to renew their advances; and if I were like Annabella and some others I should take advantage of their perseverance to endeavour to pique him into a revival of affection; but, justice and honesty apart, I could not bear to do it.
I know you as well as I ever shall, and better than you know me, or you would never dream of uniting yourself to one so incongruous—so utterly unsuitable to you in every way.’ ‘But, my dear young lady, I don’t look for perfection; I can excuse—’ ‘Thank you, Mr. Boarham, but I won’t trespass upon your goodness.
Boarham, who seemed quite willing to forget and forgive my former conduct, and to hope that a little conciliation and steady perseverance on his part might yet succeed in bringing me to reason. While I stood at the window, conversing with Milicent, he came up to me, and was beginning to talk in nearly his usual strain, when Mr. Huntingdon entered the room.
‘He was not officious at all, aunt: he never attempted to help me till he saw Mr. Boarham coming to do so; and then he stepped laughingly forward and said, “Come, I’ll preserve you from that infliction.”’ ‘Who was it, I ask?’ said she, with frigid gravity. ‘It was Mr. Huntingdon, the son of uncle’s old friend.’ ‘I have heard your uncle speak of young Mr. Huntingdon.
One night, however, at a ball, he had been more than usually tormenting, and my patience was quite exhausted. It appeared as if the whole evening was fated to be insupportable: I had just had one dance with an empty-headed coxcomb, and then Mr. Boarham had come upon me and seemed determined to cling to me for the rest of the night.
His friend Mr. Wilmot was one, and my aunt’s friend, Mr. Boarham, another. This struck me as terrible news at the moment; but all regret and apprehension vanished like a dream when I heard that Mr. Huntingdon was actually to be a third!
Boarham, who, in consideration of the rain that had fallen during the night, thought it prudent to remain behind a little and join them in a while when the sun had dried the grass. And he favoured us all with a long and minute disquisition upon the evils and dangers attendant upon damp feet, delivered with the most imperturbable gravity, amid the jeers and laughter of Mr.
‘But don’t give him a flat denial; he has no idea of such a thing, and it would offend him greatly: say you have no thoughts of matrimony at present—’ ‘But I have thoughts of it.’ ‘Or that you desire a further acquaintance.’ ‘But I don’t desire a further acquaintance—quite the contrary.’ And without waiting for further admonitions I left the room and went to seek Mr. Boarham.
Therefore, my dearest girl, since I am satisfied, why should you object—on my account, at least?’ ‘But to tell you the truth, Mr. Boarham, it is on my own account I principally object; so let us—drop the subject,’ I would have said, ‘for it is worse than useless to pursue it any further,’ but he pertinaciously interrupted me with,—‘But why so? I would love you, cherish you, protect you,’ &c., &c.