CHAPTER I.
_Which Contains a Remarkable Change of Fortune_.
ALTHOUGH Lord Montfort was now the received and recognised admirerof Miss Temple, their intended union was not immediate. Henrietta washerself averse from such an arrangement, but it was not necessaryfor her to urge this somewhat ungracious desire, as Lord Montfortwas anxious that she should be introduced to his family before theirmarriage, and that the ceremony should be performed in his nativecountry. Their return to England, therefore, was now meditated. Theevent was hastened by an extraordinary occurrence.
Good fortune in this world, they say, is seldom single. Mr. Temple atthis moment was perfectly content with his destiny. Easy in his owncircumstances, with his daughter's future prosperity about to beprovided for by an union with the heir to one of the richest peeragesin the kingdom, he had nothing to desire. His daughter was happy, heentertained the greatest esteem and affection for his future son-in-law,and the world went well with him in every respect.
It was in this fulness of happiness that destiny, with its usual wildcaprice, resolved 'to gild refined gold and paint the lily;' and it wasdetermined that Mr. Temple should wake one morning among the wealthiestcommoners of England.
There happened to be an old baronet, a great humourist, without any verynear relations, who had been a godson of Mr. Temple's grandfather. Hehad never invited or encouraged any intimacy or connection with theTemple family, but had always throughout life kept himself aloof fromany acquaintance with them. Mr. Temple indeed had only seen him once,but certainly under rather advantageous circumstances. It was when Mr.Temple was minister at the German Court, to which we have alluded, thatSir Temple Devereux was a visitor at the capital at which Mr. Templewas Resident. The minister had shown him some civilities, which was hisduty; and Henrietta had appeared to please him. But he had not remainedlong at this place; and refused at the time to be more than theirordinary guest; and had never, by any letter, message, or other mode ofcommunication, conveyed to them the slightest idea that the hospitableminister and his charming daughter had dwelt a moment on his memory. Andyet Sir Temple Devereux had now departed from the world, where it hadapparently been the principal object of his career to avoid ever makinga friend, and had left the whole of his large fortune to the RightHonourable Pelham Temple, by this bequest proprietor of one of thefinest estates in the county of York, and a very considerable personalproperty, the accumulated savings of a large rental and a long life.
This was a great event. Mr. Temple had the most profound respect forproperty. It was impossible for the late baronet to have left his estateto an individual who could more thoroughly appreciate its possession.Even personal property was not without its charms; but a large landedestate, and a large landed estate in the county of York, and that largelanded estate flanked by a good round sum of Three per Cent. Consolsduly recorded in the Rotunda of Threadneedle Street,--it was acombination of wealth, power, consideration, and convenience whichexactly hit the ideal of Mr. Temple, and to the fascination of whichperhaps the taste of few men would be insensible. Mr. Temple being aman of family, had none of the awkward embarrassments of a parvenu tocontend with. 'It was the luckiest thing in the world,' he would say,'that poor Sir Temple was my grandfather's godson, not only because inall probability it obtained us his fortune, but because he bore the nameof Temple: we shall settle down in Yorkshire scarcely as strangers, weshall not be looked upon as a new family, and in a little time the wholeaffair will be considered rather one of inheritance than bequest. But,after all, what is it to me! It is only for your sake, Digby, that Irejoice. I think it will please your family. I will settle everythingimmediately on Henrietta. They shall have the gratification of knowingthat their son is about to marry the richest heiress in England.'
The richest heiress in England! Henrietta Temple the richest heiress inEngland! Ah! how many feelings with that thought arise! Strange to say,the announcement of this extraordinary event brought less joy than mighthave been supposed to the heiress herself.
It was in her chamber and alone, that Henrietta Temple mused over thisfreak of destiny. It was in vain to conceal it, her thoughts recurredto Ferdinand. They might have been so happy! Why was he not true? Andperhaps he had sacrificed himself to his family, perhaps even personaldistress had driven him to the fatal deed. Her kind feminine fancyconjured up every possible extenuation of his dire offence. She grewvery sad. She could not believe that he was false at Ducie; oh, no! shenever could believe it! He must have been sincere, and if sincere, oh!what a heart was lost there! What would she not have given to havebeen the means of saving him from all his sorrows! She recalled hisoccasional melancholy, his desponding words, and how the gloom left hisbrow and his eye brightened when she fondly prophesied that she wouldrestore the house. She might restore it now; and now he was another's,and she, what was she? A slave like him. No longer her own mistress, atthe only moment she had the power to save him. Say what they like, thereis a pang in balked affection, for which no wealth, power, or place,watchful indulgence, or sedulous kindness, can compensate. Ah! theheart, the heart!