THE WORKING OF THE PLOT. 103 



more time with one of her reserved disposition, and lure her on 

 step by step." 



"Well," remarked Harley, "your lordship is a better judge 

 of such matters than I pretend to be ; and being the chief 

 person concerned, you have the best reason to act as you think 

 most conducive to your own ends." 



The Harcourts had been invited to spend a week at Marston, 

 but on the filth morning a letter arrived from Lord Malcolm, 

 saying he should arrive that same day at Throseby Hall, which 

 obliged Mr. Harcourt to curtail his visit very suddenly, and 

 return home immediately, much to Blanche's delight, who, on 

 the plea of a headache, could not be induced to leave her room 

 till the carriage was at the door. During her stay at the castle, 

 whether out walking with Miss Mervyn, or taking a drive in 

 the pony carriage, when the weather would admit, Lord Van- 

 court contrived to be constantly by her side, Yernon attaching 

 himself to Miss Mervyn ; and in their rambles about the 

 grounds, he kept that young lady at a sufficient distance from 

 Blanche, that Vancourt might have every facility for ingratia- 

 ting himself into her favour ; but the thing was overdone, and 

 Blanche having been left several times in this manner by Miss 

 Mervyn, her suspicions were fairly excited by this oft-repeated 

 trick, and Lord Vancourt's increased empressement of manner 

 and language, which even her artless nature could not mis- 

 understand. Blanche Douglas (even if her heart had been 

 entirely free) was a person of such delicate and refined feelings, 

 that Lord Yancourt's conduct (being an acquaintance of only 

 a few days) was becoming quite irksome to her ; and for the 

 last day she had avoided being left alone with him, plead- 

 ing indisposition, to remain in her room until the dinner 

 hour. 



Yernon, however, had met with a very different reception 

 from Miss Mervyn, who had fallen desperately in love with him ; 

 and thus, whilst apparently playing Lord Mervyn' s game, he 

 had been, in fact, most industriously dealing his own cards, and 

 obtained a confession from Miss Mervyn of her attachment, 

 which, as a matter of course, was to remain a profound secret 

 for the present. 



On their return to Throseby, the Harcourts found Lord 

 Malcolm, who had arrived just before them, and Blanche was in 

 high spirits on again meeting her cousin. 



"'Why, dear Blanche, you are wonderfully improved within 

 the last year — become quite the woman. Well, girls do run up 



