 resolve strenuously to oppose it.
She felt infinite compassion for Lady Adelina; but could herself do
little to assist her, as her time was not her own and her absence must
have been accounted for: but Emmeline was liable to no restraint; and
would not only be meritoriously employed in befriending the unhappy, but
would escape from the society at Woodfield, which became every day more
disagreeable to her. These considerations, particularly the benevolent
one of saving an unhappy young woman, over-balanced, in the mind of Mrs.
Stafford, the objection that might be made to her accompanying a person
under the unfortunate and discreditable circumstances of Lady Adelina;
and her heart, too expansive to be closed by the cold hand of prudery
against the sighs of weakness or misfortune, assured her that she was
right. She knew that Emmeline was of a character to pity, but not to
imitate, the erroneous conduct of her friend; and she believed that the
reputation of Lady Adelina Trelawny might be rescued from reproach,
without communicating any part of it's blemish to the spotless purity of
Emmeline Mowbray.







As soon as Emmeline had persuaded herself of the propriety of this plan
and obtained Mrs. Stafford's concurrence, she hinted her intentions to
Lady Adelina; who received the intimation with such transports of
gratitude and delight, that Emmeline, confirmed in her resolution, no
longer suffered a doubt of it's propriety to arise; and, with the
participation of Mrs. Stafford only, prepared for her journey, which was
to take place in ten days.

Mrs. Stafford also employed a person on whom she could rely, to receive
the money due to Lady Adelina from her husband's estate. But of this her
Ladyship demanded only half, leaving the rest for Trelawny. The attorney
in whose hands Trelawny's affairs were placed by Lord Westhaven, was
extremely anxious to discover, from the person employed by Mrs.
Stafford, from whence he obtained the order signed by Lady Adelina; and
obliged him to attend several days before he would pay it, in hopes, by
persuasions or artful questions, to draw the secret from him. He met, at
the attorney's chambers, an officer who had made of him the same
enquiry, and had followed him home, and since frequently importuned
him--intelligence, which convinced Mrs. Stafford that Lady Adelina must
soon be discovered, (as they concluded the officer was Fitz-Edward,) and
made both her and Emmeline hasten the day of her departure.

About a quarter of a mile from Woodfield, and at the extremity of the
