But here, instead of finding, as she expected, Mrs Charlton, and fresh
horses in readiness, Cecilia saw neither chaise nor preparation; Mrs
Charlton was quietly seated in a parlour, and drinking tea with Mrs
Mears.
Vexed and disappointed, she ordered horses immediately to the chaise, and entreated Mrs Charlton to lose no more time. But the various delays which had already retarded them, had made it now so late that it was impossible to get into London by daylight, and Mrs Charlton not having courage to be upon the road after dark, had settled to sleep at the inn, and purposed not to proceed till the next morning.
Half distracted at this new difficulty, Cecilia begged to speak with
her alone, and then represented in the most earnest manner, the
absolute necessity there was for her being in London that night: "Every thing," said she, "depends upon it, and the whole purpose of my journey will otherwise be lost, for Mr Delvile will else think himself extremely ill used, and to make him reparation, I may be compelled to submit to almost whatever terms he shall propose."
Mrs Charlton, kind and yielding, withstood not this entreaty, which
Cecilia made with infinite pain to herself, from the reluctance she
felt to pursuing her own interest and inclination in opposition to
those of her worthy old friend: but as she was now circumstanced, she
considered the immediate prosecution of her journey as her only
resource against first irritating Delvile by an abrupt disappointment, and appeasing him next by a concession which would make that disappointment end in nothing.
The chaise was soon ready, and Mrs Charlton and Cecilia were rising to
take leave of the company, when a man and horse galloped full speed
into the inn-yard, and in less than a minute, Morrice bounced into the
room.
"Ladies and gentlemen," cried he, quite out of breath with haste, "I
have got some news for you! I've just found out who that person is
that has been watching us."
Cecilia, starting at this most unwelcome intelligence, would now have
run into the chaise without hearing him proceed; but Mrs Charlton, who
knew neither whom nor what he meant, involuntarily stopt, and Cecilia, whose arm she leant upon, was compelled to stay.
Every one else eagerly desired to know who he was.
"Why I'll tell you," said he, "how I found him out. I was thinking in
my own mind what I could possibly do to make amends for that unlucky
accident about the dog, and just then I spied the very man that had
made me drop him; so I thought at least I'd find out who he was. I
rode up to him so quick that he could not get away from me, though I
saw plainly it was the thing he meant. But still he kept himself
muffled up, just as he did before. Not so snug, thought I, my friend, I shall have you yet! It's a fine evening, Sir, says I; but he took no notice: so then I came more to the point; Sir, says I, I think, I have had the pleasure of seeing you, though I quite forget where. Still he made no answer: if you have no objection, Sir, says I, I shall be glad to ride with you, for the night's coming on, and we have neither of us a servant. But then, without a word speaking, he rode on the quicker. However, I jogged by his side, as fast as he, and said, Pray Sir, did you know anything of that company you were looking at so hard just now? And at this he could hold out no longer; he turned to me in a most fierce passion, and said Pray, Sir, don't be troublesome. And then he got off; for when I found by his voice who he was, I let him alone."
Cecilia, who could bear to hear no more, again hastened Mrs Charlton, who now moved, on; but Morrice, stepping between them both and the door, said Now do pray, Miss Beverley, guess who it was."
"No indeed, I cannot," said she, in the utmost confusion, "Nor have I
any time to hear. Come, dear madam, we shall be very late indeed."
"O but I must tell you before you go;—why it was young Mr Delvile! the same that I saw with you one night at the Pantheon, and that I used to meet last spring at Mr Harrel's."
"Mr Delvile!" repeated every one; "very strange he should not speak."
"Pray, ma'am," continued Morrice, "is it not the same gentleman that
was at Mr Biddulph's?"
Cecilia, half dead with shame and vexation, stammered out "No, no,—I
believe not,—I can't tell;—I have not a moment to spare."