About a fortnight after the rejoicings had subsided, Mrs Hardman, while conversing with her son on his future plans and prospects, startled him by inquiring whether he had formed any attachment during his residence in Paris?  The young man hesitated for a short time, and declared that he had not; upon which Mrs Hardman asked somewhat abruptly, what he thought of Lady Elizabeth Plympton?

‘That,’ returned Herbert, ’her ladyship is an extremely tall, handsome, proud girl, who would evidently glory more in breaking half-a-dozen hearts than in winning one.’

‘Take care she does not break yours!’ rejoined Mrs Hardman playfully.

‘There is little fear of that, mother.’  Herbert was right.  He had seen, one of humble pretensions, but of unbounded worth, for whom he began to feel already a more than ordinary sentiment.

Months rolled past, and Herbert began to find his position at home far from agreeable.  His father had sunk into a mere nonentity through his mother’s superior energy.  Hence, in her hands rested the happiness or misery of all connected with the household.  It soon became evident that her grand project was to effect a marriage between Lady Elizabeth Plympton and Herbert; and when she found no inducement could warm her son’s heart towards that lady, her conduct altered.  From being kind and indulgent, she was exacting and imperious:  an old and scarcely natural dislike of her son seemed to be reawakened, and which she now took little pains to conceal.  It was therefore to be expected that Herbert should spend as little of his time at home as possible.  He became a frequent and welcome visitor to the happy and well-ordered house of the Dodburys.

The sharp eyes of the mother were not slow in detecting the attraction which drew Herbert so frequently to the lawyer’s house.  Though grievously disappointed, she was cautious.  Nothing could be done at present; for, though her son was manifestly ‘entangled,’ yet no overt declaration had been made, and there was nothing to act upon.  She had the worldly foresight to know that opposition was food and fuel to a secret attachment, and abstained from giving grounds for the belief that so much as a suspicion lurked in her mind.  In this way months rolled on, Herbert becoming more and more captivated.  On the other hand, Miss Dodbury had striven against a passion with which she also had become inspired.  Her father discouraged it, though tenderly and indirectly.  It was a delicate matter for a man to interfere in, as no open disclosure had been made from either party; but this embarrassment, felt equally by the proud mother of the lover, and the considerate father of the girl, was speedily but accidentally put an end to.

An equestrian party had been formed to see, from Berry-head, a large fleet which had been driven by a recent storm into Tor Bay.  Mrs Hardman had purposely invited Catherine Dodbury, that she might observe her son’s conduct towards that young lady, and extract from it a sufficient ground for taxing him openly with a preference for her over the belle she had chosen.  It was a lovely day, and the party was all life and gaiety, as almost all such parties are; for nothing tends to raise the spirits so effectually as equestrian exercise.