A TROUBLESOSIE YOUNG LADY. 249 



low tone what had caused her such anxious looks, when speak- 

 ing with Beauchamp. 



" Something which William has been telling me, dear aunt ; 

 but you must not divulge the secret. His father is now next 

 heir to an earldom." 



" Good Heavens ! Blanche, you are joking ! *' 



" No, aunt, indeed I am not ; " and she then repeated 

 Beau champ's communication. 



"And has this made you look'so serious to-night, you silly 

 child 1 " exclaimed Mrs. Gordon. 



" Yes, dear aunt ; I fear he may become a man of the world, 

 and all my dreams of happiness with him, as my constant friend 

 and companion, would then be at an end." 



" My dear Blanche, do not worry yourself thus unnecessarily. 

 "William Beauchamp will never change — why should he more 

 than Charles 1 you don't like him less because he is Lord 

 Malcolm 1 or Constance either — nonsense, dear child, you ought 

 to feel as happy as I do at this joyful news. Beally, it has 

 put me in such spirits, I think I shall have a dance with the 

 old squire before the ball closes. Only think the surprise of 

 Mrs. Harcourt when she hears my favourite announced some 

 day as Lord Beauchamp. Oh, Blanche, this is indeed a delight- 

 ful anticipation ! how we shall triumph over that match-making 

 pair ! But, as William suggests, we will keep silence on this 

 subject for the present ; so now dance away, child, and look as 

 happy and cheerful as you ought to feel." 



Beauchamp's next partner was Selina Markham, whom he 

 deemed it necessary to lecture on her behaviour to Mrs. Winter- 

 bottom. 



" Don't lecture me. Will Beauchamp," exclaimed that self- 

 willed young lady ; " your reproofs to me are like water on a 

 duck's back. I don't care a rap for them, and shall treat that 

 odious woman as I please." 



"Yery well, Selina; if you are determined to raise up 

 another enemy to our sport in the very centre of our best hunt- 

 ing country, pray do so, Conyers and myself cannot but feel 

 greatly obliged by your kind interference. One such person as 

 Lord Mervyn is quite enough in any country, without your 

 conjuring up a new opponent, whom it is our policy to con- 

 ciliate, now he has become a landed proprietor in our neigh- 

 bourhood. We consulted Sir Lionel before inviting them here, 

 and his opinion decided us, when you rush in like a firebrand 

 to set us all in a blaze." 



