THE TROUBLES OP THE DAY ENDED, 219 



" Well, dear child, no one can oblige you to go, unk.ss you 

 like it ; so we will say no more on the subject. And now, 

 William, I hope you will not be sparing of your visits to the 

 Priory for the future ; and to make up for your bad conduct, I 

 expect you will come over here at least two or three days in 

 the week, if not oftener." 



" You will, I fear, dear aunt, be sooner tired of my company 

 than I shall be of yours ; as I have promised this dear girl to 

 be here as often as possible." 



" I am delighted to hear it, William j so now take another 

 glass of wine, and we Avill then go to the ladies' drawing-room, 

 and Blanche will sing a few songs to enliven us." 



It was a late hour before Beauchamp could tear him sell 

 away from her he loved so enthusiastically ; when, after folding 

 her once more in a long and fervent embrace, invoking every 

 blessing on her head, and then pressing Aunt Gordon's liand to 

 his lips, he bade them both good night. 



" Dear, kind, affectionate boy ! " exclaimed Mrs. Gordon, 

 when he left the room, " who could fail to love you, even 

 though ten times more jealous than you are ? " 



" Oh, dear aunt, you do not, cannot know how dearly I do 

 love him." 



"Indeed, my darling girl, I do believe it, and Heaven grant 

 you may ever love him as now, or, poor fellow, I believe he 

 would never survive a change." 



" ISTever, dearest aunt, shall he find any change in me." 



" I do not fear it, my love ; so now let us go to our rooms, 

 and thank the Almighty thab the day which began in trouble 

 has ended in happiness to us all." 



CHAPTER XXIY. 



We must now turn to Lord Danby, who felt most acutely tlie 

 sudden overthrow of his fondly-cherished and too sanguine 

 hopes, and whose disappointment was in proportion to his 

 liighly-wi-ought expectations. Many women, more beautiful, 

 jnore highly accomplished, more fascinating in manner, of high 

 rank and of great wealth, had Lord Danby encountered in his 

 short intercourse with the world, who had excited his passing 

 admiratiorij v/ithout a,wa.kening any deeper emotion j but wuiil 



