148 CAROLINE.

She determines to make Livingston yield. Exchange of salutations.

 

 

 

after what had passed she could not avoid getting into
the carriage. She, accordingly, took her seat by the side
of Emma, concluding to let it pass for a joke, and in a
few minutes get out again. Before she had time, how-
ever, to execute this manceuvre, Mr. Clarendon and Miss
Rose were ready, and came into the coach suddenly. The
driver shut the door and mounted upon the box, and be-
gan to turn the carriage round.

The more that Caroline thought of the occurrence, the
more she was inclined to be vexed with Livingston for
not having expressed ‘some interest in having her ride
home with him; and she now determined that he should
come and ask her to get out of the carriage and go back
to the chaise, or she would leave him to ride all the way
home alone. Livingston, on the other hand, though he
felt not a little embarrassed and mortified at the occur-
rence, thought that a lady ought to be left at liberty to
desert the gentleman who had taken her under his charge,
if she chose to do so; and that, as Caroline had gone
away of her own accord, he would allow her to remain
until she should conclude to come back of her own accord.
So when he had finished harnessing his horse, he got
into the chaise, and taking his seat in it, he followed on
after the carriage as soon as the carriage began to move.
Caroline, who was sitting upon the front seat of the car-
riage with her back to the horses, of course had her face
turned toward Livingston, and as the back curtain of the
carriage was up, she could see him very easily by looking
between Mr. Clarendon and Miss Rose. She smiled and
nodded at Livingston by way of wishing him a good time
in his solitude. Livingston responded to these salutations
by polite bows.