Edward Knight's Family
| |
|
Elizabeth Austen, later Knight, continued.
... call. "How remarkably pretty your sister is" said Edward as they left the house – it was love at first sight! He followed up the acquaintance when they all returned to Kent, and soon proposed. Elizabeth refused him. She was only seventeen and very happy at home. But she became deeply troubled as letters, wise and tender, from her father: who had to act a mother's part to his motherless children, show. She found herself deeply in love and when Edward Rice again proposed, he was accepted.
The old Godmersham nurse, Katie, was rather disturbed. Her sense of propriety was offended because Edward took Elizabeth out for long walks alone. Katie felt she must protect her charges to the utmost, and perhaps she was pleased when Elizabeth decided to call her future husband 'Mr. Rice'! For some weeks after her engagement she wrote to him as 'Edward', and then came a letter beginning 'Mr. Rice'. He expostulated, his letters were kept by her and are still extant. But she replied that she had first known him as 'Mr. Rice' and liked that best. He retorted that she would think it odd if he called her sister Fanny 'Miss Knight', but of course 'she must do as she likes' and so she did!
The day of the wedding came. 'There was much ...'
[52]