’Courcy Castle, Aug. —­, 185-. 
’My dearest miss Dunstable,

’I cannot but flatter myself that you must have perceived from my manner that you are not indifferent to me.  Indeed, indeed, you are not.  I may truly say, and swear’ (these last strong words had been put in by the special counsel of the Honourable John), ’that if ever a man loved a woman truly, I truly love you.  You may think it very odd that I should say this in a letter instead of speaking it out before your face; but your powers of raillery are so great’ (’touch her up about her wit’ had been the advice of the Honourable John) ’that I am all but afraid to encounter them.  Dearest, dearest Martha—­oh do not blame me for so addressing you!—­if you will trust your happiness to me you shall never find that you have been deceived.  My ambition shall be to make you shine in that circle which you are so well qualified to adorn and to see you firmly fixed in that sphere of fashion for which your tastes adapt you.

’I may safely assert—­and I do assert it with my hand on my heart—­that I am actuated by no mercenary motives.  Far be it from me to marry any woman—­no, not a princess—­on account of her money.  No marriage can be happy without mutual affection; and I do fully trust—­no, not trust, but hope—­that there may be such between you and me, dearest Miss Dunstable.  Whatever settlements you might propose I would accede to.  It is you, your sweet person, that I love, not your money.

’For myself, I need not remind you that I am the second son of my father; and that, as such, I hold no inconsiderable station in the world.  My intention is to get into Parliament, and to make a name for myself, if I can, among those who shine in the House of Commons.  My elder brother, Lord Porlock, is, you are aware, unmarried; and we all fear that the family honours are not likely to be perpetuated by him, as he has all manner of troublesome liaisons which will probably prevent his settling in life.  There is nothing at all of that kind in my way.  It will indeed be a delight to place a coronet on the head of my lovely Martha:  a coronet which can give no fresh grace to her, but which will be so much adorned by her wearing it.

’Dearest, Miss Dunstable, I shall wait with the utmost impatience for your answer; and now, burning with hope that it may not be altogether unfavourable to my love, I beg permission to sign myself

’Your own most devoted,
‘George de Courcy’

The ardent lover had not to wait long for an answer from his mistress.  She found this letter on her toilet-table one night as she went to bed.  The next morning she came down to breakfast and met her swain with the most unconcerned air in the world; so much so that he began to think, as he munched his toast with rather a shamefaced look, that the letter on which so much was to depend had not yet come safely to hand.  But his suspense was not of a prolonged duration.  After breakfast, as was his wont, he went out to the stables with his brother and Frank Gresham; and while there, Miss Dunstable’s man, coming up to him, touched his hat, and put a letter into his hand.