Soon afterward dinner was
announced, and Clara again observed to Edward,
"Why do you always call Patience Mistress Heatherstone? Ought he not
to call her Patience, sir?" said Clara, appealing to the intendant.
"That must depend upon his own feelings, my dear Clara," replied Mr.
Heatherstone. "It is my intention to wave ceremony as much as
possible. Edward Armitage has come to live with us as one of the
family, and he will find himself treated by me as one of us. I shall,
therefore, in future address him as Edward; and he has my full
permission, and I may say it is my wish, that he should be on the same
familiar terms with us all. When Edward feels inclined to address my
daughter as he does you, by her name of baptism, he will, I dare say,
now that he has heard my opinion, do so; and reserve 'Mistress
Heatherstone,' for the time when they have a quarrel."
"Then I hope he will never again address me that way," observed
Patience, "for I am under too great obligations to him to bear even
the idea of being on bad terms with him."
"Do you hear that, Edward?" said Clara.
"Yes, I do, Clara, and after such a remark you may be sure that I
shall never address her in that way again."
In a few days, Edward became quite at home.
Pages:
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325