My Lady Ludlow | Page 4

You will think that I am wandering away from my Lady Ludlow. Not
at all. The Lady who had owned the lace, Ursula Hanbury, was a
common ancestress of both my mother and my Lady Ludlow. And so it
fell out, that when my poor father died, and my mother was sorely
pressed to know what to do with her nine children, and looked far and
wide for signs of willingness to help, Lady Ludlow sent her a letter,
proffering aid and assistance. I see that letter now: a large sheet of thick
yellow paper, with a straight broad margin left on the left-hand side of
the delicate Italian writing,--writing which contained far more in the
same space of paper than all the sloping, or masculine hand-writings of
the present day. It was sealed with a coat of arms,--a lozenge,-- for
Lady Ludlow was a widow. My mother made us notice the motto, "Foy
et Loy," and told us where to look for the quarterings of the Hanbury
arms before she opened the letter. Indeed, I think she was rather afraid
of what the contents might be; for, as I have said, in her anxious love
for her fatherless children, she had written to many people upon whom,
to tell truly, she had but little claim; and their cold, hard answers had
many a time made her cry, when she thought none of us were looking. I
do not even know if she had ever seen Lady Ludlow: all I knew of her
was that she was a very grand lady, whose grandmother had been
half-sister to my mother's great- grandmother; but of her character and
circumstances I had heard nothing, and I doubt if my mother was
acquainted with them.
I looked over my mother's shoulder to read the letter; it began, "Dear
Cousin Margaret Dawson," and I think I felt hopeful from the moment I
saw those words. She went on to say,--stay, I think I can remember the
very words:
'DEAR COUSIN MARGARET DAWSON,--I have been much grieved
to hear of the loss you have sustained in the death of so good a husband,
and so excellent a clergyman as I have always heard that my late cousin

Richard was esteemed to be.'
"There!" said my mother, laying her finger on the passage, "read that
aloud to the little ones. Let them hear how their father's good report
travelled far and wide, and how well he is spoken of by one whom he
never saw. COUSIN Richard, how prettily her ladyship writes! Go on,
Margaret!" She wiped her eyes as she spoke: and laid her fingers on her
lips, to still my little sister, Cecily, who, not understanding anything
about the important letter, was beginning to talk and make a noise.
'You say you are left with nine children. I too should have had nine, if
mine had all lived. I have none left but Rudolph, the present Lord
Ludlow. He is married, and lives, for the most part, in London. But I
entertain six young gentlewomen at my house at Connington, who are
to me as daughters--save that, perhaps, I restrict them in certain
indulgences in dress and diet that might be befitting in young ladies of
a higher rank, and of more probable wealth. These young persons--all
of condition, though out of means-- are my constant companions, and I
strive to do my duty as a Christian lady towards them. One of these
young gentlewomen died (at her own home, whither she had gone upon
a visit) last May. Will you do me the favour to allow your eldest
daughter to supply her place in my household? She is, as I make out,
about sixteen years of age. She will find companions here who are but a
little older than herself. I dress my young friends myself, and make
each of them a small allowance for pocket-money. They have but few
opportunities for matrimony, as Connington is far removed from any
town. The clergyman is a deaf old widower; my agent is married; and
as for the neighbouring farmers, they are, of course, below the notice of
the young gentlewomen under my protection. Still, if any young
woman wishes to marry, and has conducted herself to my satisfaction, I
give her a wedding dinner, her clothes, and her house-linen. And such
as remain with me to my death, will find a small competency provided
for them in my will. I reserve to myself the option of paying their
travelling expenses,--disliking gadding women, on the one hand; on the
other, not wishing by too long absence from the family home to
weaken natural ties.
'If my proposal pleases you and your daughter--or rather, if it pleases
you, for I trust your daughter has been too well brought