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sixteen who has received so wretched an education； could not be a very
desirable companion here。 Reginald has long wished； I know； to see the
captivating Lady Susan； and we shall depend on his joining our party soon。
I am glad to hear that my father continues so well； and am； with best love；
&c。；
CATHERINE VERNON。
IV
MR。 DE COURCY TO MRS。 VERNON
Parklands。
My dear Sister；I congratulate you and Mr。 Vernon on being about to
receive into your family the most accomplished coquette in England。 As a
very distinguished flirt I have always been taught to consider her； but it
has lately fallen In my way to hear some particulars of her conduct at
Langford： which prove that she does not confine herself to that sort of
honest flirtation which satisfies most people； but aspires to the more
delicious gratification of making a whole family miserable。 By her
behaviour to Mr。 Mainwaring she gave jealousy and wretchedness to his wife；
and by her attentions to a young man previously attached to Mr。
Mainwaring's sister deprived an amiable girl of her lover。
I learnt all this from Mr。 Smith； now in this neighbourhood （I have
dined with him； at Hurst and Wilford）； who is just come from Langford where
he was a fortnight with her ladyship； and who is therefore well qualified
to make the communication。
What a woman she must be！ I long to see her； and shall certainly accept
your kind invitation； that I may form some idea of those bewitching powers
which can do so muchengaging at the same time； and in the same house； the
affections of two men； who were neither of them at liberty to bestow them…
…and all this without the charm of youth！ I am glad to find Miss Vernon
does not accompany her mother to Churchhill； as she has not even manners to
recommend her； and； according to Mr。 Smith's account； is equally dull and
proud。 Where pride and stupidity unite there can be no dissimulation worthy
notice； and Miss Vernon shall be consigned to unrelenting contempt； but by
all that I can gather Lady Susan possesses a degree of captivating deceit
which it must be pleasing to witness and detect。 I shall be with you very
soon； and am ever；
Your affectionate brother；
R。 DE COURCY。
V
LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS。 JOHNSON
Churchhill。
I received your note； my dear Alicia； just before I left town； and
rejoice to be assured that Mr。 Johnson suspected nothing of your engagement
the evening before。 It is undoubtedly better to deceive him entirely； and
since he will be stubborn he must be tricked。 I arrived here in safety； and
have no reason to complain of my reception from Mr。 Vernon； but I confess
myself not equally satisfied with the behaviour of his lady。 She is
perfectly well…bred； indeed； and has the air of a woman of fashion； but her
manners are not such as can persuade me of her being prepossessed in my
favour。 I wanted her to be delighted at seeing me。 I was as amiable as
possible on the occasion； but all in vain。 She does not like me。 To be sure
when we consider that I DID take some pains to prevent my brother…in…law's
marrying her； this want of cordiality is not very surprizing； and yet it
shows an illiberal and vindictive spirit to resent a project which
influenced me six years ago； and which never succeeded at last。
I am sometimes disposed to repent that I did not let Charles buy Vernon
Castle； when we were obliged to sell it； but it was a trying circumstance；
especially as the sale took place exactly at the time of his marriage； and
everybody ought to respect the delicacy of those feelings which could not
endure that my husband's dignity should be lessened by his younger
brother's having possession of the family estate。 Could matters have been
so arranged as to prevent the necessity of our leaving the castle； could we
have lived with Charles and kept him single； I should have been very far
from persuading my husband to dispose of it elsewhere； but Charles was on
the point of marrying Miss De Courcy； and the event has justified me。 Here
are children in abundance； and what benefit could have accrued to me from
his purchasing Vernon？ My having prevented it may perhaps have given his
wife an unfavourable impression； but where there is a disposition to
dislike； a motive will never be wanting； and as to money matters it has not
withheld him from being very useful to me。 I really have a regard for him；
he is so easily imposed upon！ The house is a good one； the furniture
fashionable； and everything announces plenty and elegance。 Charles is very
rich I am sure； when a man has once got his name in a banking…house he
rolls in money； but they do not know what to do with it； keep very little
company； and never go to London but on business。 We shall be as stupid as
possible。 I mean to win my sister…in…law's heart through the children； I
know all their names already； and am going to attach myself with the
greatest sensibility to one in particular； a young Frederic； whom I take on
my lap and sigh over for his dear uncle's sake。
Poor Mainwaring！ I need not tell you how much I miss him； how
perpetually he is in my thoughts。 I found a dismal letter from him on my
arrival here； full of complaints of his wife and sister； and lamentations
on the cruelty of his fate。 I passed off the letter as his wife's； to the
Vernons； and when I write to him it must be under cover to you。
Ever yours；
S。 VERNON。
VI
MRS。 VERNON TO MR。 DE COURCY
Churchhill。
Well； my dear Reginald； I have seen this dangerous creature； and must
give you some description of her； though I hope you will soon be able to
form your own judgment she is really excessively pretty； however you may
choose to question the allurements of a lady no longer young； I must； for
my own part； declare that I have seldom seen so lovely a woman as Lady
Susan。 She is delicately fair； with fine grey eyes and dark eyelashes； and
from her appearance one would not suppose her more than five and twenty；
though she must in fact be ten years older； I was certainly not disposed to
admire her； though always hearing she was beautiful； but I cannot help
feeling that she possesses an uncommon union of symmetry； brilliancy； and
grace。 Her address to me was so gentle； frank； and even affectionate； that；
if I had not known how much she has always disliked me for marrying Mr。
Vernon； and that we had never met before； I should have imagined her an
attached friend。 One is apt； I believe； to connect assurance of manner with
coquetry； and to expect that an impudent address will naturally attend an
impudent mind； at least I was myself prepared for an improper degree of
confidence in Lady Susan； but her countenance is absolutely sweet； and her
voice and manner winningly mild。 I am sorry it is so； for what is this but
deceit？ Unfortunately； one knows her too well。 She is clever and agreeable；
has all that knowledge of the world which makes conversation easy； and
talks very well； with a happy command of language； which is too often used；
I believe； to make black appear white。 She has already almost persuaded me
of her being warmly attached to her daughter； though I have been so long
convinced to the contrary。 She speaks of her with so much tenderness and
anxiety； lamenting so bitterly the neglect of her education； which she
represents however as wholly unavoidable； that I am forced to recollect how
many successive springs her ladyship spent in town； while her daughter was
left in Staffordshire to the care of servants； or a governess very little
better； to prevent my believing what she says。
If her manners have so great an influence on my resentful heart； you may
judge how much more strongly they operate on Mr。 Vernon's generous temper。
I wish I could be as well satisfied as he is； that it was really her choice
to leave Langford for Churchhill； and if she had not stayed there for
months before she discovered that her friend's manner of living did not
suit her situation or feelings； I might have believed that concern for the
loss of such a husband as Mr。 Vernon； to whom her own behaviour was far
from unexceptionable； might for a time make her wish for retirement。 But
I cannot forget the length of her visit