The Admiral's Daughter Read Online Free

Sussex. Hideous though the possibility seemed, was not it altogether likely she would one day be, if not an old maid whose chief diversion lay in visiting about the neighborhood, the wife of just such a pedantic coxcomb as the Vicar?
    â€œBy Jupiter, I have been a selfish wretch!” he thought to himself. “Placing my own pride above Maggie’s future, and in securing to myself her company, perhaps sacrificing her happiness!”
    The thought eased the way to writing the letter, which otherwise would have demanded more masking of his real feelings than the Admiral was capable of. The letter was posted that very afternoon, and within a fortnight he had his reply. Lord Ramblay’s letter was written out upon a sheet of heavy parchment that bore the family crest. The hand was at once bold and fine, but the tone so distant, even in its civility, that the Admiral was a little chagrined. While there was nothing absolutely cold about it, yet it had not that warmth which the former letter had possessed in abundance. The Admiral, however, set more store by action than innuendo, and when he saw that the Viscount had appended an invitation to his daughter, he could not criticize anything in the rest of the communication. The invitation was all Admiral Trevor had looked for—had even hinted at—and when he had done reading, he went at once to find his daughter.
    Maggie, driven indoors by a heavy shower which now beat rhythmically at the windows, was discovered in the music room laboring over her pianoforte.
    â€œWhat a pretty air that is!” declared the Admiral as he walked in, for he was a great admirer of Maggie’s talents.
    Maggie replied with a rueful smile, “How lucky it is you are my father and have not an ear for music,” she laughed.“For if you had, you would know how badly I play, and if you were not my father, you would not hesitate to tell me so!”
    â€œNonsense, nonsense, my dear!” replied the Admiral in a jovial tone. “No one plays so well as you! Everyone was always saying so at Portsmouth!”
    â€œAt Portsmouth no one had ever heard anything better. But I am afraid if they had, they should have seen me for what I was—a great enjoyer of music, without any real proficiency of my own. I do really wish I could play better, for it would be a great pastime now we are in the country.”
    â€œYou are very fond of music, my dear, ain’t you?” inquired the Admiral, finding a chair for himself near the instrument.
    â€œOh, no one could be fonder of music than I am,” replied Maggie. “That is—fond of the performances of others, when they are worth liking. It is a great pity I cannot play better, for I have taste enough to perceive what is excellent, but not skill enough to imitate it.”
    The Admiral would not hear of this, but he inquired if his daughter would not be delighted by the opportunity of a great deal of good music and to enjoy, besides, a great deal of good conversation.
    â€œI do not know of anyone who could resist such a combination of delights!” responded Maggie playfully. “But, have you come in only to tease me, Papa? I hope you have not, for there is no one who talks well in the neighborhood—unless you count Mr. Wayland, who makes up in quantity what he misses in quality—and only the Miss Durbens play to any degree.”
    â€œAh, Mr. Wayland,” moaned the Admiral, his face growing red. “I wish you would not mention him, my dear! But, I did not come in to tease you, nor to discuss that pompous fool. I came to tell you of an invitation you have received.”
    â€œAn invitation, Father?”
    â€œTo Essex.”
    â€œTo Essex!”
    â€œAnd then to London, for the winter season.”
    Maggie was too astonished to say anything for a moment.
    â€œBut I know no one who lives in Essex, sir!”
    â€œBut you ought to do. Indeed, had it not been for my stupidity, you