A LARGE PARTY. 172 



tion in the county, my advice to you is, to avoid further intimacy 

 with the contemptible owner of Marston Castle." 



"Indeed, Mrs. Gordon, I am perfectly astonished at your 

 account of this matter, but still think you must be in error as 

 to Lord Mervyn having so grossly committed himself." 



" You are in error, Mr. Harcourt, / am not," replied Mrs. 

 Gordon, as she rose to take her leave ; " but I hope we shall 

 see yon on Monday at the Priory, where I have asked a few 

 friends in the evening/' 



The invitation being accepted, was considered as the outward 

 adjustment of any personal differences between the two aunts, 

 although, their inward feelings remained in statu quo. In direct 

 refutation of the scandalous reports spread by Lord Mervyn and 

 his partisans, Mrs. Gordon determined, therefore, on giving as 

 large a party as her house could contain, with a dance after- 

 wards, as a testimony of rejoicing for Blanche's happy escape ; 

 and the invitations to her neighbours, Lady Markharn, Mrs. 

 Bolleston, Mrs. Compton, and others, were expressive of her 

 feelings on this point. The Beauchamps, with Conyers, were 

 her only guests at the dinner-table ; but a splendid supper was 

 provided for the other company, who began to arrive about 

 half-past nine, Mr. and Mrs. Harcourt being almost the first to 

 make their appearance, and constrained, therefore, to listen to 

 the felicitations offered to Mrs. Gordon and her niece. 



" Ah, my dear girl ! " said Selina Markharn, kissing Blanche, 

 " so this is an ovation for your escape from Hooknose, Mervyn, 

 and Co. 1 " 



"Hush, Selina!" 



" I shall not be hushed, poor child, from expressing my con- 

 gratulations, and only regret Mark did not send a ball through 

 that coachman's leg, to prevent his running away. But how 

 fares our champion, Will Beauchamp 1 I intend heading a 

 subscription to present him with a piece of plate, in token of 

 his gallant conduct in defending the ' rights of women to choose 

 their own husbands.' What will you give, Blanche 1 or" — 

 (sinking her voice to a whisper) — " do you propose rewarding 

 him in another way ?" 



" Oh, nonsense, Selina; how foolish you talk to-night !" 



"I should not call it foolish, child, to reward my preserver 

 with something more substantial than gold and silver, and I 

 rather suspect, from those tell-tale eyes, Blanche Douglas is of 

 the same opinion ; but as the subject appears so disagreeable, let 

 us talk of something else — this grand hunt ball, which is now 



