Churchhill We have a very unexpected guest with us at present,my dear Mother:he arrived yesterday.I heard a carriage at the door,as I was sitting with my children while they dined;and supposing I should be wanted,left the nursery soon afterwards,and was half-way downstairs,when Frederica,as pale as ashes,came running up,and rushed by me into her own room.Iinstantly followed,and asked her what was the matter."Oh!"said she,"he is come--Sir James is come,and what shall I do?"This was no explanation;I begged her to tell me what she meant.At that moment we were interrupted by a knock at the door:it was Reginald,who came,by Lady Susan's direction,to call Frederica down."It is Mr.De Courcy!"said she,colouring violently."Mamma has sent for me;I must go."We all three went down together;and I saw my brother examining the terrified face of Frederica with surprize.In the breakfast-room we found Lady Susan,and a young man of gentlemanlike appearance,whom she introduced by the name of Sir James Martin--the very person,as you may remember,whom it was said she had been at pains to detach from Miss Mainwaring;but the conquest,it seems,was not designed for herself,or she has since transferred it to her daughter;for Sir James is now desperately in love with Frederica,and with full encouragement from mamma.The poor girl,however,I am sure,dislikes him;and though his person and address are very well,he appears,both to Mr.Vernon and me,a very weak young man.
Frederica looked so shy,so confused,when we entered the room,that I felt for her exceedingly.Lady Susan behaved with great attention to her visitor;and yet I thought Icould perceive that she had no particular pleasure in seeing him.Sir James talked a great deal,and made many civil excuses to me for the liberty he had taken in coming to Churchhill--mixing more frequent laughter with his discourse than the subject required--said many things over and over again,and told Lady Susan three times that he had seen Mrs.Johnson a few evenings before.He now and then addressed Frederica,but more frequently her mother.The poor girl sat all this time without opening her lips--her eyes cast down,and her colour varying every instant;while Reginald observed all that passed in perfect silence.At length Lady Susan,weary,Ibelieve,of her situation,proposed walking;and we left the two gentlemen together,to put on our pelisses.As we went upstairs Lady Susan begged permission to attend me for a few moments in my dressing-room,as she was anxious to speak with me in private.I led her thither accordingly,and as soon as the door was closed,she said:"I was never more surprized in my life than by Sir James's arrival,and the suddenness of it requires some apology to you,my dear sister;though to ME,as a mother,it is highly flattering.He is so extremely attached to my daughter that he could not exist longer without seeing her.
