A "little stkatagem." 119 



" If Mrs. Harcourt will not be angry at my dancing twice 

 with William." 



" You are no longer a child," replied Malcolm, " to be tied 

 to Mrs. Harcourt's apron- strings, and have a right now to 

 please yourself; but what says Aunt Gordon, whose ideas on 

 such subjects are quite as correct as Mrs. Harcourt's ? " 



" I see no impropriety in such arrangement if Blanche has 

 no other objection." 



" None whatever, dear aunt ; and I shall be delighted to 

 join Charles and Constance in the last dance of the evening." 



"Thank you, dear Blanche," whispered Beauchamp, "and 

 now we must take our places." 



Many scrutinising and invidious glances were directed to- 

 wards the heiress and her partner as they glided gracefully 

 through the figure, too much pleased in each other's company 

 to bestow a thought or care for the lookers-on. Lord Vancourt 

 remarked to Vernon — " You have underrated him." 



" Not much, I think," was the reply. 



" Decidedly, Vernon, he is very gentlemanly in manners, 

 good-looking, and altogether the sort of man any young girl 

 would fall desperately in love with ; in short, I must be quick ; 

 and even now, from what I see, my impression is that I am too 

 late in the field." 



"You have two to one on your side, my lord, and Beau- 

 champ has no more chance than I have." 



" He has a bold, determined look," replied Vancourt, "just 

 that of a man who will not stick at trifles when he has a point 

 to gain." 



" That girl won't run away with any man," said Vernon, 

 " although she may be earned away. Do you take, my lord ? 

 and with the consent of her guardian, which is the same thing, 

 supposing the young lady rather coy to yourself, I should not 

 hesitate one moment." 



" That is a very serious affair, Vernon." 



" Not in your case, my lord. Make your proposal first to 

 her guardian — if accepted, you are all right ; and I am quite 

 sure they will both press your offer upon their ward, for fear of 

 Beauchamp. This, of course, you will find out from what Har- 

 court says in reply to your proposal ; and if she refuses you can 

 fairly plead their consent, and your deep, passionate, uncontroll- 

 able love for the young lady, which induced you to have recourse 

 to a little stratagem. That's all, my lord, and you will never 

 hear another word on the subject after the heiress has become 



