Free Henry Tilney's Diary (9781101559024) by Amanda Grange Page A

of standing, of great wealth and grand position. Someone who will bring renown to the name of Tilney, and, through marriage, add vast estates to our own.’
    â€˜Yes, I know he does, but you go too fast. I have only just met Mr Morris, and although I will confess to having had some conversation with him this morning when you were out with your dogs, I know very little of him and he knows very little of me. There has been no talk of marriage, nor will there be for a very long time, if at all.’
    â€˜But it could happen. Guard yourself, Eleanor. I would not want to see you hurt.’
    We sat for some time but, as Mr Morris did not appear, Eleanor at last suggested we continue. She read ever more eagerly as we followed poor Julia’s adventures, and so engrossed were we that we did not notice the arrival of Mr Morris until he cleared his throat.
    I looked at him with new eyes. He was handsome enough, with a good bearing and a neat style of dress; nothing ostentatious and yet not shabby; and I wondered how I felt about the idea of his becoming my brother-in-law. His gaze, as it fell on Eleanor, was rapt, and that was a point in his favour, for anyone who marries Eleanor must adore her to have my blessing.
    â€˜Mr Morris. This is a surprise,’ I remarked.
    He tore his gaze away from Eleanor, who had flushed, and made his bow.
    â€˜I hope I am not intruding,’ he said.
    â€˜Not at all. We hoped you would join us, did we not, Eleanor?’ I said.
    â€˜We did, indeed.’
    He looked surprised and bashfully pleased. This endeared him even more to Eleanor, who invited him to sit down.
    â€˜I see you have brought your book with you.’
    â€˜I rather hoped we might . . . that is to say, it was most enjoyable to share the novel . . . I do so enjoy reading aloud . . . I thought we might do it again.’
    â€˜By all means,’ said Eleanor.
    â€˜I must confess,’ he said, ‘that is to say, I could not sleep and so I succumbed to temptation and read some further passages.’
    â€˜So did we!’ said Eleanor. ‘That is, we have read on this morning.’
    â€˜Ah! Then you know that Julia, helped by her faithful servant, escaped from the marquis and fled to a convent?’ he asked.
    â€˜Yes, we do. And do you know about Hippolitus?’ I asked.
    â€˜That he is alive, having only been severely wounded and not killed? Yes, I know,’ he said. ‘Also, that he sent an emissary to the castle to discover what had happened to Julia, and, finding that she had escaped, he followed her to the convent – only to find that she had fled the convent when the cruel Abate had tried to force her to take the veil.’
    â€˜And do you know about Ferdinand?’ asked Eleanor.
    â€˜That he managed to escape from his father and that he rescued his sister from the convent?’ he asked.
    â€˜Yes,’ said Eleanor. ‘And now Julia and Ferdinand are fleeing through the countryside, pursued by their evil father, with Hippolitus trying to find them.’
    â€˜That is exactly the point I have reached,’ he said.
    â€˜Then let us continue,’ said Eleanor.
    As soon as Mr Morris had seated himself beside us she began:
    â€˜Hippolitus gave the reins to his horse, and journeyed on unmindful of his way. The evening was far advanced when he discovered that he had taken a wrong direction, and that he was bewildered in a wild and solitary scene. He had wandered too far from the road to hope to regain it, and he had beside no recollection of the objects left behind him.
    â€˜A choice of errors, only, lay before him. The view on his right hand exhibited high and savage mountains, covered with heath and black fir; and the wild desolation of their aspect, together with the dangerous appearance of the path that wound up their sides, and which was the only apparent track they afforded, determined Hippolitus not to attempt their ascent.
    â€˜On his left lay a