THE ARRIVAL IN LONDON. 261 



and what I fully expect ; so get rid of your country diffidence 

 and blushes as soon as you possibly can, which here would only 

 pass for gaudier ie or mauvaise horde." 



Constance in her turn elicited some very nattering en- 

 comiums from Lady Malcolm, exceedingly gratifying to her 

 son, who replied, " Well, my dear mother, I think we may show 

 our two girls against any two in London ; but they must not 

 be spoilt by too many compliments or too much indulgence, as 

 we keep them pretty strict in the country — don't we, Aunt 

 Gordon 1 — for fear of their running away." 



" Oh, Charles," interposed Lady Malcolm, " you must give 

 me a full account of all those dreadful proceedings with that 

 mauvais sujet, Lord Yancourt. The maddest scheme 1 ever 

 heard of; but he has always been a wild, reckless man, and 

 living almost by his wits the last three or four seasons." 



" It was a well-planned scheme, though, my dear mother, 

 and Blanche had a narrow escape from being whipped off to the 

 land of cakes ; for had Will Beauchamp arrived ten minutes 

 later, that villain would have had her safe enough in his travel- 

 ling carriage." 



"Well, Charles, you must tell me all particulars after 

 dinner ; and how are my friends, the old and young squires of 

 Bampton, and Sir Lionel ? " 



''Well and hearty; and you may expect the honour of 

 a visit from Will next week, who is coming up to town to 

 look after us all, and prevent these girls being ruined by 

 too much dissipation ; as he does not consider a couple of aunts 

 and one man cousin sufficient to keep them within proper 

 bounds." 



" I shall be delighted, Charles, to see my young friend again, 

 as you know he has ever been a pet of mine." 



" Yes, my dear mother, and since he has grown up a tall, 

 good-looking young man, he has now become a pet of young as 

 well as old ladies." 



"Indeed, Charles, that is not at all an unlikely thing to 

 occur ; but who are the young ladies you allude to ? " 



" Oh ! " replied Charles, carelessly, " there is a brewer's 

 daughter, with a hundred and fifty thousand pounds, more or 

 less, with her pa' and ma' hard at him ; and one or two other 

 demoiselles " — casting a significant look at Blanche, who blushed 

 and trembled with apprehension — " I suspect, have set their caps 

 at him ; but two to one on Miss Winterbottom are the current 

 odds at present." 



