Love and Friendship

Laura, in continuation
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But no Edward appeared. In vain did we
count the tedious moments of his absence in
vain did we weep in vain even did we sigh no
Edward returned? This was too cruel, too
unexpected a Blow to our Gentle Sensibility
we could not support it we could only faint.
At length collecting all the Resolution I was
Mistress of, I arose and after pacing up some
necessary apparel for Sophia and myself, I
dragged her to a carriage I had ordered, and
we instantly set out for London. As the
Habitation of Augustus was within twelve
miles of Town, it wasn’t long after we arrived
there, and no sooner had we entered Holboun
than letting down one of the Front Glasses I
enquired of every decent-looking Person that
we passed “If they had seen my Edward?”
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But as we drove too rapidly to allow them to
answer my repeated Enquiries, I gained little,
or indeed, no information concerning him.
“Where am I to drive? “Said the Postilion.”
To Newgate Gentle Youth (replied I), to see
Augustus. “Oh! no, no” (exclaimed Sophia) I
can’t go to Newgate; I shall not be able to
support the sight of my Augustus in so cruel a
confinement my feelings are sufficiently
shocked by the RECITAL, of his Distress,
but to behold it will overpower my
Sensibility. As I perfectly agreed with her in
the justice of her sentiments the Postilion was
instantly directed to return to the Country.
You may perhaps have been somewhat
surprised my Dearest Marianne, that in the
Distress I then endured, destitute of any
support, 
and 
unprovided 
with 
any
Habitation, 
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I should never once have remembered my
father and mother or my paternal Cottage in
the Vale of Usk. To account for this seeming
forgetfulness, I must inform you of a trifling
circumstance concerning them that I have yet
never mentioned. The death of my parents a
few weeks after my Departure is the
circumstance I became the lawful inheritress
of their Hose and Fortune. But alas! The
House had never been their own and their
Fortune had only been an Annuity on their
own Lives. Such is the Depravity of the
World! To your Mother I should have
returned with Pleaser, should have been
happy to have introduced to her, my
charming 
Sophia, 
and 
should 
with
Cheerfulness 
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have passed the remainder of my Life in their
dear Society in the Vale of Usk, had not one
agreeable a scheme, intervened, which was the
Marriage and Removal of your mother to a
distant part of Ireland. 
Adieu,
Laura
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LETTER THE ELEVENTH
“I have a Relation in Scotland (said Sophia
to me as we left London) who I am certain
wouldn’t hesitate in receiving me.” “ Shall I
order the Boy to drive there?” said I but
instantly recollecting myself, exclaimed,
“Alas, I fear it will be too long a Journey for
the Horses.” Unwilling however to act only
from my inadequate Knowledge of the
Strength and Abilities of Horses, I consulted
the Postilion, who was entirely of my opinion
concerning the Affair. We, therefore,
determined to change Horses at the next
Town and to travel Post the remainder of the
journey. When we arrived at the last Inn we
were to stop at, which was but a few miles
from the house Sophia’s Relation,