Caroline laughingly agreed; and the quadrille being finished, Lord Henry succeeded in persuading her to accompany him to the refreshment-room.

In the meanwhile, perfectly unconscious that he had been the subject of the animated conversation of his vis a vis, St. Eval was finding more and more to admire in Miss Hamilton.  He conducted his partner to her seat as she desired, and then strolled towards Mr. Hamilton’s party, in the hope that Caroline would soon rejoin her mother; but Annie had been in the refreshment-room, and she did not reappear for some little time.  Mrs. Hamilton had at length been enabled to seek Lady Helen Grahame, with whom she remained conversing, for she felt, though the delay was unavoidable, she partly deserved the reproach with which Lady Helen greeted her, when she entered, for permitting the whole evening to pass without coming near her.  Mrs. Hamilton perceived, with regret, that she was more fitted for the quiet of her own boudoir, than the glare and heat of crowded rooms.  Gently she ventured to expostulate with her on her endeavours, and Lady Helen acknowledged she felt quite unequal to the exertion, but that the persuasions of her daughter had brought her there.  She was too indolent to add, she had seen nothing of Annie the whole evening; nor did she wish to say anything that might increase the disapprobation with which she sometimes felt, though Annie heeded it not, Mrs. Hamilton regarded her child.  It was admiration, almost veneration, which Lady Helen felt for Mrs. Hamilton, and no one could have imagined how very frequently the indolent but well-meaning woman had regretted what she deemed was her utter inability to act with the same firmness that characterised her friend.  She was delighted at the notice Lilla ever received from her; but blinded by the artful manners of her elder girl, she often wished that Annie had been the favourite instead.  There was somewhat in Mrs. Hamilton’s manner that night that caused her to feel her own inferiority more than ever; but no self-reproach mingled with the feeling.  She could not be like her, and then why should she expect or deplore what was impossible.  Leaning on Mrs. Hamilton’s arm, she resolved, however, to visit the ball-room, and they reached Mr. Hamilton at the instant Grahame joined them.

“You here, Grahame!” exclaimed his friend, as he approached.  “I thought you had forsworn such things.”

“I make an exception to-night,” he answered.  “I wished to see my fair friend Caroline where I have longed to see her.”

“You are honoured, indeed, Mrs. Hamilton,” Lady Helen could not refrain from saying.  “He was not present at the entree even of his own daughter.”

“And why was I not, Lady Helen? because I would not by my presence give the world reason to say I also approved of the very early age at which Miss Grahame was introduced.  If I do not mistake, she is four months younger than Caroline, and yet my daughter is no longer a novice in such scenes as these.”