was a very natural conclusion very i exclaimed considering that i have not one feeling one thought in common with the man who to use his own words to claim me as his bride is it really so are these indeed your true sentiments said in a tone of grave anxiety � the thought of this marriage makes me utterly wretched nay you must long have known this during lord s absence in italy the danger seemed less imminent but his sudden return and arrival here quite me bead the cool manner in which he i must forthwith hold myself prepared to receive him as my future lord and master opened the which thrust into her hands and it without comment oh you must be prejudiced surely judging from this letter you cannot accuse him of presumption it appears to me perfectly respectful both towards yourself and lord cried folding the letter towards papa � yes papa there never was such a bom into the world as philip exclaimed though a bright tear the lustre of her eye but say my darling grave continued she throwing her arm lightly round s graceful neck where is this marvellous respect to myself when lord has not to by a single word or line his approaching arrival at the to me who certainly am most concerned in it unjust i exclaimed kissing the glowing cheek of her friend and taking the letter from the table she read in conclusion dear lord you will be good enough to present my most respectful regards and homage to miss and express my deep regret that she has not considered my two last letters from worthy of the honor of a reply nay stop i exclaimed now fairly melting into tears it is this calm superiority of manner which cuts me to the quick what right has lord to administer this covert rebuke in a letter to papa he evidently and considers me a child and treats me accordingly no dearest though i have never seen lord i am sure he must and does render homage to a mind and character such as yours but why did you suffer this foolish misunderstanding to arise by not answering his s letters � because i will not submit to be unhappily i chanced to mention my long ride alone with colonel to the ruins at this meeting as you know was purely accidental and as the colonel was riding the same way as myself i certainly could not with any regard to politeness dismiss him from my side well the his chose to write on the of miss making herself so notorious and that such conduct would be perfectly wh n she attained the sublime dignity of lady was perhaps there was a great deal more besides which i forget but i did not choose to submit to such but will you not remonstrance from the man with whom you are to spend future life and submit to be treated like a reasonable being lord is a great deal too good for me i these of propriety give me instead poor human nature with all its i would that lady whose virtue he is always quoting had been elected for the exalted honor of wearing his and over the surpassing glories of park i cried passionately � lady i lord s ward is she not asked yes she is an and lives at court somewhere near her father lord died about a year and a half ago and mad the son of his old friend the late lord his daughter s guardian i wonder what kind of personage this lady is do not trouble yourself you will not long bo in the dark after his s arrival the earl brought lady over from italy and established her at court and indeed i should be ungrateful not to acknowledge my full obligations to whose sudden summons i verily believe prevented the of our marriage six months ago hush hush it is positively wrong to in this strain it is a very long time since you saw lord so dearest you may have formed an estimate of his character how long is it two years � nay then it is quite possible you may be mistaken at our age two years make a vast change in opinions and sentiments shook her head � you know i was quite a child when first to philip and had no more choice or interest in the matter than yourself save perhaps a childish feeling of on being told i was wife elect to the very handsome young man whom i heard every one around mo and who i gazed upon myself with sentiments somewhat akin to awe his then went abroad for some years during the which we duly and returned to england about two years ago with lord and his daughter and when he visited the whether he found the contrast too glaring between the virtues of the lady and the faults of his certain it is never were couple more like than ourselves we did not actually quarrel but move speak laugh as i would always that calm dark eye rested upon me often i know my conduct must have appeared giddy and but i was very young and he ought to have made allowance besides i never was born to perform the of a stiff dame in and decorum i well the of the whole matter was that lord after remaining our guest for two months was suddenly called away to the continent on business which he took care to state required a very brief term to nevertheless from the of the at he wrote to papa his permission to delay our marriage for another year � and we will see but if it were all along your serious intention to fulfil the engagement contracted for you how very strange not to employ this period and the advantage you possessed of 