MUTUAL AFFECTION". 1G7 



therefore I suppose you will claim it, whether I like to give it 

 or not. And he folded her in his arms, saying, " My own 

 dearest treasure ! how undeserving am I of such a blessing as 

 vour love ! '' 



" Dear William, you deserve more than I can give ; but 

 now let me go." 



" Tell Aunt Gordon and Constance, then, if you like, about 

 Mark Rosier, but no one else." 



As she tripped after her friends into the drawing-room, 

 Mrs. Gordon asked the cause of her detention by Beauchamp, 

 which was explained by Blanche telling her the name of the 

 dark man who had been noticed following the carriage. 



"Just like my dear brother,'' exclaimed Constance; "ever 

 too anxious about those he loves. Ah, Blanche, you will have 

 a sad time of it when you are married j he will never let you 

 out of his sight except on hunting days, when you may have 

 the opportunity of a little quiet flirtation with others, but rest 

 assured he will never let you go alone to any dinner-party or 

 ball ; in fact, my dear girl, my only fear is that you may have 

 too much of his agreeable company." 



" Of that / have no fear, dear Constance, for I could not be 

 happy anywhere without him." 



" Wei], dear, I have hitherto refrained from saying much in 

 William's favour, lest you might think me an interested person, 

 and endeavouring to prejudice you ; but now you have acted 

 from the impulse of your own heart in accepting and returning 

 his love, I. may tell you that I do not believe it possible you 

 could have selected one who would make you so thoroughly 

 happy as my own dear brother." 



" In which I perfectly agree," added Mrs. Gordon ; " but 

 William is so romantic, Constance, as to insist on Blanche 

 having the pick of the London fashionables before she is finally 

 engaged to him. What would you say to Malcolm's making a 

 similar proposal to you 1 " 



" That I should not feel very much flattered by such a want 

 of confidence in my affection ; but William, I am quite certain, 

 can have only one motive ; and as Blanche has seen so little 

 of the world, I rather think he is pursuing the most honourable 

 course, and exhibiting a denial which very few men, if any, 

 would practise under similar circumstances, knowing that the 

 issue of this trial must be life or death to his hopes of happi- 



ness." 



" Dear Constance," said Blanche, throwing her arms round 



