the person and accomplishments of Lord
Frederick," said Miss Woodley to herself, "but her understanding compels
her to see his faults, and reproaches her passion.--And, oh!" cried she,
"could her guardian and Mr. Sandford know of this conflict, how much
would they have to admire; how little to condemn!"

With such friendly thoughts, and with the purest intentions, Miss
Woodley did not fail to give both gentlemen reason to believe, a
contention of this nature was the actual state of Miss Milner's mind.
Dorriforth was affected at the description, and Sandford urged more than
ever the necessity of leaving town. In a few days they departed; Mrs.
Horton, Miss Woodley, Miss Milner, and Mr. Dorriforth, accompanied by
Miss Fenton, whom Miss Milner, knowing it to be the wish of her
guardian, invited, for three months before her marriage, to her country
seat. Elmwood House, or rather Castle, the seat of Lord Elmwood, was
only a few miles distant from this residence, and he was expected to
pass great part of the summer there, with his tutor, Mr. Sandford.

In the neighbourhood was also (as it has been already said) an estate
belonging to an uncle of Lord Frederick's, and most of the party
suspected they should soon see him on a visit there. To that expectation
they in great measure attributed Miss Milner's visible content.

CHAPTER XI.

With this party Miss Milner arrived at her country house, and for near
six weeks, all around was the picture of tranquillity; her satisfaction
was as evident as every other person's; and all severe admonition being
at this time unnecessary, either to exhort her to her duty, or to warn
her against her folly, she was even in perfect good humour with Miss
Fenton, and added friendship to hospitality.

Mr. Sandford, who came with Lord Elmwood to the neighbouring seat, about
a week after the arrival of Miss Milner at her's, was so scrupulously
exact in the observance of his word, "_Never to enter a house of Miss
Milner's,_" that he would not even call upon his friend Dorriforth
there--but in their walks, and at Lord Elmwood's, the two parties would
occasionally join, and of course Sandford and she at those times met--yet
so distant was the reserve on either side, that not a single word upon
any occasion was ever exchanged between them.

Miss Milner did not like Mr. Sandford; yet as there was no cause of
inveterate rancour, admiring him too as a man who meant well, and being
besides of a mos