The young ladies did not drink it; Osborne did not like it; and the consequence was that Jos drank up the whole contents of the bowl; and there was a liveliness which at first was astonishing, and then became almost painful. George Osborne conducted the girls home in safety.

Amelia looked very ruefully at her friend, as they went up stairs, and kissed her, and went to bed without any more talking.

“He must propose to-morrow,” thought Rebecca. “He called me his soul’s darling, four times; he squeezed my hand in Amelia’s presence. He must propose tomorrow.” And so thought Amelia, too.

The next day, however, as the two young ladies sat on the sofa, pretending to work, or to write letters, or to read novels, Sambo came into the room with his usual engaging grin, with a packet under his arm, and a note on a tray. “Note from Mr. Jos, Miss,” says Sambo. How Amelia trembled as she opened it!

So it ran:

Dear Amelia, I leave town today.

Pray excuse me, if you can, to the amiable Miss Sharp. As soon as I have recovered, for my health is very much shaken, I shall go to Scotland for some months, and am

Truly yours, Jos Sedley

All was over. Amelia did not dare to look at Rebecca’s pale face and burning eyes, but she dropped the letter into her friend’s lap; and got up, and went upstairs to her room, and cried her little heart out.

It now became clear to every soul in the house, except poor Amelia, that Rebecca should take her departure, as speedily as possible. Rebecca was thinking in her heart, “It was George Osborne who prevented my marriage.” She made her preparations for departure and accepted all the kind little Amelia’s presents, after the proper degree of hesitation and reluctance.

Finally came the parting with Miss Amelia, over which picture I intend to throw a veil.

And now it became naturally Rebecca’s duty to make herself agreeable to her new family of Crawleys.

“I am alone in the world,” said the friendless girl. “I have nothing to look for but what my own labour can bring me; and while that little pink-faced chit Amelia has ten thousand pounds and an establishment secure, poor Rebecca (and my figure is far better than hers) has only herself and her own wits to trust to. Well, let us see if some day or the other I cannot show Miss Amelia my real superiority over her. Not that I dislike poor Amelia: who can dislike such a harmless, good-natured creature? – only it will be a fine day when I can take my place above her in the world, as why, indeed, should I not?”

With the young people her method was pretty simple. She did not pester their young brains with too much learning, but, on the contrary, let them have their own way in regard to educating themselves.

With Mr. Crawley Miss Sharp was respectful and obedient. She used to consult him on passages of French which she could not understand, though her mother was a Frenchwoman, he was kind enough to select for her books of a more serious tendency, and address to her much of his conversation.

He took Rebecca to task once or twice about the propriety of playing at backgammon with Sir Pitt.[12] But it was not only by playing at backgammon with the Baronet, that the little governess rendered herself agreeable to her employer. She found many different ways of being useful to him. She volunteered to copy many of his letters, and altered the spelling of them so as to suit the usages of the present day. She became interested in everything about the estate, to the farm, the park, the garden, and the stables; and so delightful a companion was she, that the Baronet would seldom take his after-breakfast walk without her (and the children of course). She was almost mistress of the house when Mr. Crawley was absent, but her behaviour was always exceedingly modest and affable. She was quite a different person from the haughty, shy, dissatisfied little girl whom we have known previously.