She thoroughly trusted her own children, and did not distrust her friends; and so as regards Mrs.Woodward the matter was allowed to rest.
We cannot say that on this matter we quite approve of her conduct, though we cannot but admire the feeling which engendered it.

Her daughters were very young; though they had made such positive advances as have been above described towards the discretion of womanhood, they were of the age when they would have been regarded as mere boys had they belonged to the other sex.

The assertion made by Clara Van Artevelde, that women 'grow upon the sunny side of the wall,' is doubtless true; but young ladies, gifted as they are with such advantages, may perhaps be thought to require some counsel, some advice, in those first tender years in which they so often have to make or mar their fortunes.
Not that Mrs.Woodward gave them no advice; not but that she advised them well and often--but she did so, perhaps, too much as an equal, too little as a parent.
But, be that as it may--and I trust my readers will not be inclined so early in our story to lean heavily on Mrs.Woodward, whom I at once declare to be my own chief favourite in the tale--but, be that as it may, it so occurred that Gertrude, before she was nineteen, had listened to vows of love from Harry Norman, which she neither accepted nor repudiated; and that Linda had, before she was eighteen, perhaps unfortunately, taught herself to think it probable that she might have to listen to vows of love from Alaric Tudor.
There had been no concealment between the young men as to their feelings.

Norman had told his friend scores of times that it was the first wish of his heart to marry Gertrude Woodward; and had told him, moreover, what were his grounds for hope, and what his reasons for despair.
'She is as proud as a queen,' he had once said as he was rowing from Hampton to Searle's Wharf, and lay on his oars as the falling tide carried his boat softly past the green banks of Richmond--'she is as proud as a queen, and yet as timid as a fawn.

She lets me tell her that I love her, but she will not say a word to me in reply; as for touching her in the way of a caress, I should as soon think of putting my arm round a goddess.' 'And why not put your arms round a goddess ?' said Alaric, who was perhaps a little bolder than his friend, and a little less romantic.