’I cannot bear this, mother!  I would do anything you ask, that I could do with honour; but this is impossible.’

’Why impossible?  I will take all blame upon myself; and you are sure that Miss Broadhurst does not misunderstand you, and you esteem her, and admire her, and all that; and all I ask is, that you’ll go on as you are, and see more of her; and how do you know but you may fall in love with her, as you call it, to-morrow?’

’Because, madam, since you press me so far, my affections are engaged to another person.  Do not look so dreadfully shocked, my dear mother—­I have told you truly, that I think myself too young, much too young, yet to marry.  In the circumstances in which I know my family are, it is probable that I shall not for some years be able to marry as I wish.  You may depend upon it that I shall not take any step, I shall not even declare my attachment to the object of my affection, without your knowledge; and, far from being inclined to follow headlong my own passions—­strong as they are—­be assured that the honour of my family, your happiness, my mother, my father’s, are my first objects:  I shall never think of my own till these are secured.’

Of the conclusion of this speech, Lady Clonbrony heard only the sound of the words; from the moment her son had pronounced that his affections were engaged, she had been running over in her head every probable and improbable person she could think of; at last, suddenly starting up, she opened one of the folding-doors into the next apartment, and called—­

’Grace!—­Grace Nugent!—­put down your pencil, Grace, this minute, and come here!’

Miss Nugent obeyed with her usual alacrity; and the moment she entered the room, Lady Clonbrony, fixing her eyes full upon her, said—­

‘There’s your cousin Colambre tells me his affections are engaged.’

‘Yes, to Miss Broadhurst, no doubt,’ said Miss Nugent, smiling, with a simplicity and openness of countenance which assured Lady Clonbrony that all was safe in that quarter:  a suspicion which had darted into her mind was dispelled.

’No doubt.  Ay, do you hear that no doubt, Colambre?—­Grace, you see, has no doubt; nobody has any doubt but yourself, Colambre.’

‘And are your affections engaged, and not to Miss Broadhurst?’ said Miss Nugent, approaching Lord Colambre.

’There now! you see how you surprise and disappoint everybody, Colambre.’

‘I am sorry that Miss Nugent should be disappointed,’ said Lord Colambre.

’But because I am disappointed, pray do not call me Miss Nugent, or turn away from me, as if you were displeased.’

‘It must, then, be some Cambridgeshire lady,’ said Lady Clonbrony.  ’I am sure I am very sorry he ever went to Cambridge,—­Oxford I advised:  one of the Miss Berryls, I presume, who have nothing.  I’ll have nothing more to do with those Berryls—­there was the reason of the son’s vast intimacy.  Grace, you may give up all thoughts of Sir Arthur.’