FURTHER DISCLOSURES. 231 



Constance ; Malcolm and Beaucharap being obliged to return to 

 the court. 



The next witness called by Mr. Whalley was Alice Hayward, 

 Blanche's maid. 



" You went with your young mistress, I believe, to Marston 

 Castle, in the month of last % " 



"Yes, sir." 



" You saw Lord Vancourt there, I conclude 1 " 



" Yes, sir — several times." 



" So that you would be sure to know him again ? " 



" Oh, yes ; he was a very particular-looking gentleman." 



" Was he very particular in his attentions to your young 

 lady, Miss Douglas % " 



" Not that I know of, sir." 



" Did she ever go out walking or driving with liim alone % " 



" No, sir ; Miss Blanche would never dream of doing such 

 a thing with a stranger." 



"With whom then did she generally set out for a walk 1 " 



"With Miss Mervyn, sir, accompanied sometimes by Lord 

 Vancourt and Mr. Vernon." 



"Did Miss Douglas ever allude to these walks on returning 

 to her room ? ' : 



" Yes, sir ; the day before we left the Castle, she told me she 

 felt so annoyed by Miss Mervyn and Mr. Vernon's conduct, in 

 leaving her purposely, as she believed, twice alone with Lord 

 Vancourt, that she would never walk with her again." 



" Did she keep to this resolution 1 " 



" Yes, sir ; the next morning, when Miss Mervyn entered 

 her room, asking her to walk, she pleaded a bad headache, and 

 would not go down-stairs till Mrs. Harcourt's carriage came to 

 the door to take us home." 



" Did Miss Douglas ever make any other remarks to you 

 about Lord Vancourt?" 



" She said, the night before she quitted Marston Castle, that 

 she was very glad that their visit was finished ; that although 

 entertaining sometimes, she had taken a great dislike to Lord 

 Vancourt, and hoped never to meet him again." 



" Do you remember anything particular occurring two days 

 after the ball at Cherrington ? " 



" Yes, sir ; after luncheon, Miss Blanche on that day ran 

 up to her room, and began sobbing and crying as if her heart 

 would break, because Mrs. Harcourt called her an ungrateful 

 girl for refusing Lord Vancourt ; ' but I could not marry such 



