The Children of the New Forest

Captain Marryat (continued 8)

Reading edition · Edition 2

“Yes, it was a youthful passion, I grant; but recollect, nothing came of it, and years have passed away. It is now seven years since you quitted the forest, and in your letters to Mr Heatherstone you made no remark upon what had passed between you and Patience. Since that, you have never corresponded or sent any messages; and you can hardly expect that a girl, from the age of seventeen to twenty-four, will cherish the image of one who, to say the least, had treated her with indifference. That is my view of the matter, Edward. It may be wrong.”

“And it may be true,” replied Edward mournfully.

“Well, my view is different,” replied Edith. “You know, Humphrey, how many offers Patience Heatherstone has had, and has every day, I may say. Why has she refused them all? In my opinion, because she has been constant to a proud brother of mine, who does not deserve her!”

“It may be so, Edith,” replied Humphrey. “Women are riddles—I only argued upon the common sense of the thing.”

“Much you know about women,” replied Edith. “To be sure, you do not meet many in the New Forest, where you have lived all your life.”

“Very true, my dear sister; perhaps that is the reason that the New Forest has had such charms for me.”

“After that speech, sir, the sooner you get back again the better!” retorted Edith. But Edward made a sign to Humphrey, and they beat a retreat.

“Have you seen the Intendant, Humphrey?”

“No; I was about to call upon him, but I wanted to see you first.”

“I will go with you. I have not done him justice,” replied Edward, “and yet I hardly know how to explain to him—”

“Say nothing, but meet him cordially; that will be explanation sufficient.”

“I shall meet him as one whom I shall always revere, and feel that I owe a deep debt of gratitude. What must he think of my not having called upon him?”

“Nothing. You hold a place at court. You may not have known that he was in London, as you have never met him; your coming with me will make it appear so. Tell him that I have just made known to you his noble and disinterested conduct.”

“You are right—I will. I fear, however, Humphrey, that you are right, and Edith wrong, as regards his daughter.”

“Nay, Edward, recollect that I have, as Edith observed, passed my life in the woods.”

Edward was most kindly received by Mr Heatherstone. Edward, on Mr Heatherstone repeating to him his intentions relative to Arnwood, expressed his sense of that gentleman’s conduct, simply adding—

“You may think me impetuous, sir; but I trust you will believe me grateful.”

Patience coloured up and trembled when Edward first saw her. Edward did not refer to the past for some time after they had renewed their acquaintance. He wooed her again, and won her. Then all was explained.

About a year after the Restoration there was a fête at Hampton Court, given in honour of three marriages taking place—Edward Beverley to Patience Heatherstone, Chaloner to Alice, and Grenville to Edith; and, as his majesty himself said, as he gave away the brides, “Could loyalty be better rewarded?”

But our young readers will not be content if they do not hear some particulars about the other personages who have appeared in our little history. Humphrey must take the first place. His love of farming continued. Edward gave him a large farm, rent free; and in a few years Humphrey saved up sufficient to purchase a property for himself. He then married Clara Ratcliffe, who has not appeared lately on the scene, owing to her having been, about two years before the Restoration, claimed by an elderly relation, who lived in the country, and whose infirm state of health did not permit him to quit the house. He left his property to Clara, about a year after her marriage to Humphrey. The cottage in the New Forest was held by, and eventually made over to, Pablo, who became a very steady character, and in the course of time married a young girl from Arnwood, and had a houseful of young gipsies. Oswald, so soon as Edward came down to Arnwood, gave up his place in the New Forest, and lived entirely with Edward as his steward; and Phoebe also went to Arnwood, and lived to a good old age, in the capacity of housekeeper, her temper becoming rather worse than better as she advanced in years.

This is all that we have been able to collect relative to the several parties; and so now we must say farewell.

The End.