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Another week, and at length she heard from Clara, in answer to a letter of inquiry, and to fix the day of her return. "Oakworthy, Jan. 7th. "MY DEAR MARIAN, Caroline desires me to write to tell you, with her love, that she has this horrid influenza, and has been in bed since Monday. She is very feverish, and her throat so sore that she can hardly speak or swallow.
Lyddell, saying that he should come and spend one night at Oakworthy, on his way to Portsmouth; that he hoped to arrive about one o'clock, and that he should bring Marian her aunt's legacy of the jewels. This was communicated to her by Mrs. Lyddell, and she could not discover from whence he wrote; she supposed from London, unless he was still detained in Devonshire.
There was no one left with whom Marian could have anything like the conversations they had been used to enjoy from almost the earliest days of her coming to Oakworthy. Lionel was indeed a very agreeable companion, nay more, a friend, full of right feeling, principle, good sense, thought, and liveliness; but a younger boy could never make up for the loss of such a friend of her own sex.
She was ready early the next morning, and once more left Fern Torr, bright with the promise that, when she was there next, it would be no more a guest. She prosperously arrived at the station nearest Oakworthy, and soon saw the servant waiting for her. "Is Miss Lyddell better?" "A little better than last night, ma'am. Mr. Lionel is in the carriage."
Caroline and Clara were to go to High Down two days before the great occasion, and stay till the day after; Marian to remain at Oakworthy. Just before they went, Clara danced into her room, saying, "Marian, do you know some of the officers at Portsmouth have been asked to the ball? You know there is a railroad all the way. I wonder if Mr. Arundel will be there?" "Decidedly not," replied Marian.
Marian was left standing by Mrs. Lyddell, as she usually did, through the greater part of a ball; for as she never waltzed, there were few dances in which she could take a part. She had made half the Oakworthy neighbours afraid of her; and Mrs.
"Very well," said Marian, with a sigh, "though I cannot guess what I shall say. And about Selina?" "You had better write and tell her how you are situated, and I will do the same to Lord Marchmont." "And when must we go to the Lyddells? I thought he meant more than mere civility, when he spoke of Oakworthy this morning, at breakfast."
And it was well for her she could be so; for he stayed more than a fortnight, decided on buying the estate of High Down, and was asked to come again and make his head-quarters at Oakworthy, while superintending the alterations. All were sorry when he went; even the boys, whose first holiday week had been rendered very agreeable by his good nature.
After some pressing, the following reply was extracted: "It is so shut in with fir-trees, but I suppose you want them to hide the town, and there is nothing to see if they were away." "O Marian!" said Caroline, "when we showed you the beautiful view over the high gate." "But there was no hill, and no wood, and no water." "Did you not see Oakworthy Hill?" "That tame green thing!" said Marian.
Lyddell, were driving along the white road leading to Oakworthy, after a very pleasant visit to the Marchmonts, when Selina had treated Agnes so affectionately, as to cause her to forget all past neglect, and had, as Edmund said, scaled their friendship, by raving at Marian's decision, "It was too bad," said she, "when they had given up London, the only thing that made it tolerable."
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