 short, I said everything to disswade
him that I could imagine except telling him the Truth, which wou'd indeed have
put an End to it all, but that I durst not think of mentioning.
    But here happened a Circumstance that I did not expect indeed, which put me
to my Shifts; for this young Gentleman, as he was plain and honest, so he
pretended to nothing but what was so too; and knowing his own Innocence, he was
not so careful to make his having a Kindness for Mrs. Betty a Secret in the
House, as his Brother was; and tho' he did not let them know that he had talk'd
to me about it, yet he said enough to let his Sisters perceive he lov'd me, and
his Mother saw it too, which tho' they took no Notice of to me, yet they did to
him, and immediately I found their Carriage to me alter'd more than ever before.
    I saw the Cloud, though I did not foresee the Storm; it was easy, I say, to
see their Carriage was alter'd, and that it grew worse and worse every Day,
'till at last I got Information that I should in a very little while be desired
to remove.
    I was not alarm'd at the News, having a full Satisfaction that I should be
provided for; and especially considering that I had Reason every Day to expect I
should be with Child, and that then I should be obliged to remove without any
Pretences for it.
    After some time, the younger Gentleman took an Opportunity to tell me, that
the Kindness he had for me had got Vent in the Family; he did not charge me with
it, he said, for he knew well enough which way it came out; he told me his way
of Talking had been the Occasion of it, for that he did not make his Respect for
me so much a Secret as he might have done, and the Reason was, that he was at a
Point, that if I would consent to have him, he would tell them all openly that
he lov'd me, and that he intended to marry me: That it was true, his Father and
Mother might resent it, and be unkind, but he was now in a Way to live, being
bred to the Law, and he did not fear Maintaining me, and that in short, as he
believ'd I would not be asham'd of him, so he was resolv'd not to be ashamed of
me
