As not a moment was now to be lost, Cecilia had no sooner suggested
this scheme, than she hastened to St James's-Square, to try its
practicability.
She found Mrs Delvile alone, and still at breakfast.
After the first compliments were over, while she was considering in
what manner to introduce her proposal, Mrs Delvile herself led to
the subject, by saying, "I am very sorry to hear we are so soon to
lose you; but I hope Mr Harrel does not intend to make any long stay
at his villa; for if he does, I shall be half tempted to come and
run away with you from him."
"And that," said Cecilia, delighted with this opening, "would be an
honour I am more than half tempted to desire."
"Why indeed your leaving London at this time," continued Mrs
Delvile, "is, for me, particularly unfortunate, as, if I could now
be favoured with your visits, I should doubly value them; for Mr
Delvile is gone to spend the holidays at the Duke of Derwent's, whither I was not well enough to accompany him; my son has his own engagements, and there are so few people I can bear to see, that I shall live almost entirely alone."
"If I," cried Cecilia, "in such a situation might hope to be
admitted, how gladly for that happiness would I exchange my
expedition to Violet Bank!"
"You are very good, and very amiable," said Mrs Devile, "and your
society would, indeed, give me infinite satisfaction. Yet I am no
enemy to solitude; on the contrary, company is commonly burthensome
to me; I find few who have any power to give me entertainment, and
even of those few, the chief part have in their manners, situation, or characters, an unfortunate something, that generally renders a near connection with them inconvenient or disagreeable. There are, indeed, so many drawbacks to regard and intimacy, from pride, from propriety, and various other collateral causes, that rarely as we meet with people of brilliant parts, there is almost ever some objection to our desire of meeting them again. Yet to live wholly alone is chearless and depressing; and with you, at least," taking Cecilia's hand, "I find not one single obstacle to oppose to a thousand inducements, which invite me to form a friendship that I can only hope may be as lasting, as I am sure it will be pleasant."
Cecilia expressed her sense of this partiality in the warmest terms; and Mrs Delvile, soon discovering by her manner that she took not any delight in her intended visit to Violet Bank, began next to question her whether it would be possible for her to give it up.
She instantly answered in the affirmative.
"And would you really be so obliging," cried Mrs Delvile, with some
surprise, "as to bestow upon me the time you had destined for this
gay excursion?"
"Most willingly," answered Cecilia, "if you are so good as to wish
it."
"But can you also—for you must by no means remain alone in Portman
Square—manage to live entirely in my house till Mr Barrel's
return?"
To this proposal, which was what she most desired, Cecilia gave a
glad assent; and Mrs Delvile, extremely pleased with her compliance, promised to have an apartment prepared for her immediately.
She then hastened home, to announce her new plan.
This she took occasion to do when the family was assembled at
dinner. The surprize with which she was heard was very general: Sir
Robert seemed at a loss what conclusion to draw from her
information; Mr Arnott was half elated with pleasure, and half
depressed with apprehension; Mrs Harrel wondered, without any other
sensation; and Mr Harrel himself was evidently the most concerned of
the party.
Every effort of persuasion and importunity he now essayed to prevail
upon her to give up this scheme, and still accompany them to the
villa; but she coolly answered that her engagement with Mrs Delvile
was decided, and she had appointed to wait upon her the next
morning.
When her resolution was found so steady, a general ill humour took
place of surprise: Sir Robert now had the air of a man who thought
himself affronted; Mr Arnott was wretched from a thousand
uncertainties; Mrs Harrel, indeed, was still the most indifferent; but Mr Harrel could hardly repress his disappointment and anger.