"But he will go with us surely," said Mr. Beaumont. "The Walsinghams are
as much his relations as we are; and if he comes two hundred miles to
see us, he will, surely, go seven to see them."

"True," said Mrs. Beaumont; "but it is civil and kind to leave him to
fix his own day, poor old gentleman. After so long a journey, we must
allow him some rest. Consider, he can't go galloping about as you do,
dear Edward."

"But," said Amelia, "as the Walsinghams know he is to be in the country,
they will of course come to see him immediately."

"How do they know he is to be in the country?"

"I thought--I took it for granted, you told them so, mamma, when you
wrote about not going to Walsingham House, on Mr. Walsingham's
birthday."

"No, my dear; I was so full of the chickenpox, and terror about you, I
could think of nothing else."

"Thank you, dear mother--but now that is out of the question, I had best
write a line by the return of the postboy, to say, that Mr. Palmer is to
be here to-day, and that he stays only one week."

"Certainly! love--but let me write about it, for I have particular
reasons. And, my dear, now we are by ourselves, let me caution you not
to mention that Mr. Palmer can stay but one week: in the first place it
is uncivil to him, for we are not sure of it, and it is like driving him
away; and in the next place, there are reasons I can't explain to you,