"But stay, my love; you must understand, too, that it is to be quite a
secret between ourselves, not to be mentioned to my son even; for you
know he is sudden in his temper, and warm and quite in the Walsingham
interest, and there's no knowing what might be the consequence if it
were to be let out imprudently, and Sir John and Edward both so
high-spirited. One can't be too cautious, my dear, to prevent mischief
between gentlemen. So caution your brother to leave it to me to break
it, and bring things about with Edward and Amelia,"--[stopping Miss
Hunter again as she made a second effort to get into the carriage,]--
"You comprehend, my dear, that Amelia is not in the secret yet--so not
a word from your brother to her about _my approbation!_--that would
ruin all. I trust to his honour; and besides--" drawing the young lady
back for the third whisper.--Miss Hunter stood suspended with one foot
in air, and the other on the step; the coachman, impatient to be off,
manoeuvred to make his horses restless, whilst at the same time he cried
aloud--"So! so! Prancer--stand still, Peacock; stand still, sir!"

Miss Hunter jumped down on terra firma. "Those horses frighten me so for
you, my dear!" said Mrs. Beaumont. "Martin, stand at their heads. My
dear child, I won't detain you, for you'll be late. I had only to say,
that--oh! that I trust implicitly to your brother's honour; but, besides
this, it will not be amiss for you to hint, as you know you can
delicately--_delicately_, you understand--that it is for his interest to
leave me to manage every thing. Yet none of this is to be said _as if
from me_--pray don't let it come from me. Say it all from yourself.
Don't let my name be mentioned at all. Don't commit me, you understand?"

"Perfectly, perfectly, ma'am: one kiss, dear Mrs. Beaumont, and adieu.
Is my dressing-box in? Tell him to drive fast, for I hate going slow.
Dearest Mrs. Beaumont, good bye. I feel as if I were going for an age,