A BLESSING INVOKED ON T±IE UNION. 163 



t)o t presume too much in hoping you Vvdll not withhold your 

 kind consent ? " 



" Indeed, Mr. WiUiam ! I scarcely know what to say, as I 

 suspect this confession ^to Blanche has been made long ago, 

 and I think you have not treated me well — in these conceal- 

 ments from one who has always regarded you, hitherto, as her 

 own son." 



" Indeed, indeed, dearest aunt, I have had no opportunity 

 of making this disclosure to you before, without writing a 

 formal proposal, which I felt rather reluctant to do ; but will 

 you forgive this little omission, as I never intended to keep 

 back anything from you, who have been to me as a second 

 mother?" 



•' Well, poor fellow! you have suffered too much pain lately 

 for me to inflict more ; and now, dear Blanche, if you do really 

 love this wayward, worthless boy, I shall not add to jjour 

 nervousness either by withholding my approval of your choice, 

 — so come here both of you;" when, joining their hands 

 together, Mrs. Gordon, in the most affectionate and impressive 

 manner, invoked a blessing on tlieir union, and, overcome by 

 her own as well as Blanche's emotion, hastily left them together, 

 telling them they would find her in the drawing-room. In 

 half an hour they rejoined her, when Beauchamp told her, as 

 Blanche was still so young, he did not wish her to be bound by 

 any formal engagement to himself thus early, especially as she 

 was to be presented at court in the spring, and make her debut 

 in the London fashionable circles. 



" That entirely depends upon Blanche's own feelings, " 

 replied Mrs. Gordon; "but, were I in her place, William, I 

 would not afford you even this little loop-hole for escape ; you 

 want, I suppose, sir, to have a season in town, too, and if 

 you met with a prettier girl than Blanche, intend to put her 

 aside." 



" Dear, dear aunt! " exclaimed Beauchamp, "how can you 

 utter such a libel on my constancy and devotion to her I prefer 

 above all the treasures on earth ? ' ' 



" Then what do you mean, you silly boy ? " 



" I do not wish our attachment to each other to be made 

 public at present, or any engagement, on Blanche's part, to 

 exist, although I hold myself firmly and irrevocably bound to 

 her ; but if, at the end of the London season, she still prefers 

 me to any other, I will then claim her hand, on the condition 

 that her whole fortune shall be settled upon herself." 



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