122 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



Lord Vancourt now advanced, with a very profound bow, 

 and Blanche rose reluctantly to take his arm, casting a lingering 

 look behind (as she was led away), implying, " Don't you pity 

 me ? ' J Beauchamp felt that appeal, and instantly followed her, 

 with Bob Conyers, who just then came up, and both stood be- 

 hind her, whilst she was dancing with Lord Vancourt; and 

 when disengaged occasionally in the dance, Beauchamp spoke a 

 few words of encouragement. 



Lord Vancourt was nettled at this interference, and bestowed 

 a look full of malignity on Beauchamp, who returned his glance 

 with a steady, unflinching gaze, which somewhat disconcerting 

 his lordship, prevented an effusion of those soft speeches he had 

 proposed for the occasion. To add more to his discomfort, also, 

 Captain Melville now joined Conyers, and kept his eye steadily 

 fixed on his lordship's movements. Of all in that room Lord 

 Vancourt dreaded Melville, who was acquainted with his 'pecca- 

 dilloes^ and having heard him engage Miss Douglas for the next 

 dance, feared he would enlighten her on his real position, so that 

 he felt so ill at ease as to prove anything but agreeable to his 

 fair partner. 



The dance being concluded, Vancourt immediately led her 

 to Mrs. Harcourt, where he thought Beauchamp or Conyers 

 could not follow ; and being offered a seat by that lady, he sat 

 down by Blanche, hoping to prevent her dancing with Mel- 

 ville. 



But the captain, guessing his purpose, immediately ap- 

 proached, notwithstanding my lord's forbidding aspect, and 

 offered his arm, which, glad to escape from her tormentor, she 

 readily accepted. 



On walking away, Melville asked Blanche if she had known 

 Lord Vancourt long. " No," was the reply ; " I was introduced 

 to him a short time since only, at Lord Mervyn's, when you 

 dined there." 



" What do you think of him '? " he asked, rather abruptly. 



"Very agreeable and entertaining," was the reply. 



" Yes, all that, Miss Douglas, a finished courtier. But he is 

 well known as the worst-tempered man, and the greatest rake 

 about town." 



" Mr. and Mrs. Harcourt have a very high opinion of him," 

 replied Blanche. 



"Because they know nothing of his real disposition or 

 character ; but when I tell you, Miss Douglas, that I declined 

 his lordship's introduction to my own sister, you may suppose I 



