The behaviour of Lady Maitland upon an occafion fo interefting to her husband, greatly increased the disgust her bad conduct had fettled in his bofom. She received the news of what fo much delighted him in fullen filence, and every demonftration of joy given by the neighbourhood feemed to mortify and offend her. She only once called upon Mrs. Maitland during her confinement, and then, Sir George ordering the baby to be brought for her to fee, and asking her if it was not a lovely boy, the coldly anfwered that the believed fo, but fhe really knew nothing about thofe little things, or ever could perceive any difference between one and another; adding, with a fignificant fimile, That thank heaven she was not very likely to be molefted by fuch troublesome fquallers! From this time her neglect of Mrs. Maitland was complete; the never upon any occafion vifited vifited Furze-Hill, or invited her to Woodburn; and Sir George plainly perceiving how carelessly she was treated by his wife and her friends, when at his preffing inftances fhe came there, forbore to ask what was fo difagreeable to her to comply with, and contented himself with spending half his time at his brother's, and leaving her Ladyship (under certain restrictions of expence, which nothing could now prevail upon him to enlarge) to follow her own purfuits. CHAP CHAPTER IX. ANOTHER UNEXPECTED EVENT. DURING URING the continuance of fummer, Lady Maitland contrived to live with what she stiled tolerable dencecy and chearfulness. The neighbouring families, influenced by the example first set them by Mrs. Maitland, and afterwards by Lady Harland and her daughters, ftill visited her; and though she had no longer unneceffary domeftics, her entertainments were genteel as thofe given at other houfes, and the almost constant absence of Sir George, gave her an opportunity of rendering them more lively and agreeable to her guests, than fhe could otherwife have ventured to do. But as winter began to approach, and her friends to talk of quitting the country, her as fpirits fpirits were unable to fupport the idea of living fo many months with only the company of her husband and Mifs Henly. She befought Lady Harland to use all her influence to procure her the liberty of paffing only three months in town, promising to remain contentedly where he was, till the holidays were over, and to return in April, without afking to have her time prolonged. In this requeft fhe was particularly earnest, not doubting, but that could fhe once get Sir George to a proper diftance from Furze-Hill, he should still be able to regain the afcendancy over his mind, which the once enjoyed; and the lofs of which the rather chofe to attribute to the influence of his brother and fifter, than to the real caufe. But moderate as her request was, and fupported by the joint petition of all her friends, it was pofitively and steadily refused, Sir George declaring, that nothing should force force him to leave Woodburn, at least, during the next twelve months. Fondness, reproaches, tears, fits, and all the train of common-place, female artifices, were tried in vain; the remembrance of one fatal circumstance steeled his heart against them and her, and she found that no choice was left her, but either that of remaining quietly at Woodburn, or quitting it for ever. The latter would, in her opinion, have been far preferable, could he have gained the confent of her friends to fuch a step, but both her mother and aunt had repeatedly declared, that should Sir George withdraw from her his countenance and protection, they would immediately follow his example, and difown any further connexion with her: this put it out of her power to obtain, what is called, an honourable feparation; and, unfortunately, fhe had no lover, whofe opulence and affection might make her amends, VOL. I. G |