MRS. VERNON TO LADY DE COURCY
Churchhill.
My dear Mother,-‐-‐Mr. Vernon returned on Thursday night, bringing his
niece with him. Lady Susan had received a line from him by that day's post,
informing her that Miss Summers had absolutely refused to allow of Miss
Vernon's continuance in her academy; we were therefore prepared for her
arrival, and expected them impatiently the whole evening. They came while
we were at tea, and I never saw any creature look so frightened as
Frederica when she entered the room. Lady Susan, who had been shedding
tears before, and showing great agitation at the idea of the meeting,
received her with perfect self-‐command, and without betraying the least
tenderness of spirit. She hardly spoke to her, and on Frederica's bursting
into tears as soon as we were seated, took her out of the room, and did not
return for some time. When she did, her eyes looked very red and she was as
much agitated as before. We saw no more of her daughter. Poor Reginald was
beyond measure concerned to see his fair friend in such distress, and
watched her with so much tender solicitude, that I, who occasionally caught
her observing his countenance with exultation, was quite out of patience.
This pathetic representation lasted the whole evening, and so ostentatious
and artful a display has entirely convinced me that she did in fact feel
nothing. I am more angry with her than ever since I have seen her daughter;
the poor girl looks so unhappy that my heart aches for her. Lady Susan is
surely too severe, for Frederica does not seem to have the sort of temper
to make severity necessary. She looks perfectly timid, dejected, and
penitent. She is very pretty, though not so handsome as her mother, nor at
all like her. Her complexion is delicate, but neither so fair nor so
blooming as Lady Susan's, and she has quite the Vernon cast of countenance,
the oval face and mild dark eyes, and there is peculiar sweetness in her
look when she speaks either to her uncle or me, for as we behave kindly to
her we have of course engaged her gratitude.
Her mother has insinuated that her temper is intractable, but I never
saw a face less indicative of any evil disposition than hers; and from what
I can see of the behaviour of each to the other, the invariable severity of
Lady Susan and the silent dejection of Frederica, I am led to believe as
heretofore that the former has no real love for her daughter, and has never
done her justice or treated her affectionately. I have not been able to
have any conversation with my niece; she is shy, and I think I can see that
some pains are taken to prevent her being much with me. Nothing
satisfactory transpires as to her reason for running away. Her kind-‐hearted
uncle, you may be sure, was too fearful of distressing her to ask many
questions as they travelled. I wish it had been possible for me to fetch
her instead of him. I think I should have discovered the truth in the
course of a thirty-‐mile journey. The small pianoforte has been removed
within these few days, at Lady Susan's request, into her dressing-‐room, and
Frederica spends great part of the day there, practising as it is called;
but I seldom hear any noise when I pass that way; what she does with
herself there I do not know. There are plenty of books, but it is not every
girl who has been running wild the first fifteen years of her life, that
can or will read. Poor creature! the prospect from her window is not very
instructive, for that room overlooks the lawn, you know, with the shrubbery
on one side, where she may see her mother walking for an hour together in
earnest conversation with Reginald. A girl of Frederica's age must be
childish indeed, if such things do not strike her. Is it not inexcusable to
give such an example to a daughter? Yet Reginald still thinks Lady Susan
the best of mothers, and still condemns Frederica as a worthless girl! He
is convinced that her attempt to run away proceeded from no, justifiable
cause, and had no provocation. I am sure I cannot say that it HAD, but
while Miss Summers declares that Miss Vernon showed no signs of obstinacy
or perverseness during her whole stay in Wigmore Street, till she was
detected in this scheme, I cannot so readily credit what Lady Susan has
made him, and wants to make me believe, that it was merely an impatience of
restraint and a desire of escaping from the tuition of masters which
brought on the plan of an elopement. O Reginald, how is your judgment
enslaved! He scarcely dares even allow her to be handsome, and when I
speak of her beauty, replies only that her eyes have no brilliancy!
Sometimes he is sure she is deficient in understanding, and at others that
her temper only is in fault. In short, when a person is always to deceive,
it is impossible to be consistent. Lady Susan finds it necessary that
Frederica should be to blame, and probably has sometimes judged it
expedient to excuse her of ill-‐nature and sometimes to lament her want of
sense. Reginald is only repeating after her ladyship.
I remain, &c., &c.,
CATHERINE VERNON.