The more
Mary Sewell thought, the more sure she felt in her own mind that he
loved her, and had meant honestly by her. Did the matter rest with
him, she might reckon on being the future Countess of --, but,
unfortunately for her, the person to be considered was not Lord C-,
but the present Countess of --. From childhood, through boyhood,
into manhood it had never once occurred to Lord C- to dispute a
single command of his mother's, and his was not the type of brain
to readily receive new ideas. If she was to win in the unequal
contest it would have to be by art, not by strength. She sat down
and wrote a letter which under all the circumstances was a model of
diplomacy. She knew that it would be read by the countess, and,
writing it, she kept both mother and son in mind. She made no
reproaches, and indulged in but little sentiment. It was the
letter of a woman who could claim rights, but who asked only for
courtesy. It stated her wish to see him alone and obtain from his
own lips the assurance that he wished their engagement to cease.
"Do not fear," Mary Sewell wrote, "that I shall be any annoyance to
you.
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