f they had been quarrelling, and felt so to
themselves, though no such circumstance had happened.

Two weeks passed away in this kind of distant behaviour on both sides,
without either of them venturing a direct quarrel, and without either of
them expressing (except inadvertently) their strong affection for each
other.

During this time they were once, however, very near becoming the dearest
friends in expression, as well as in sentiment. This arose from a favour
that he had granted in compliance with her desire, though that desire
had not been urged, but merely insinuated; and as it was a favour which
he had refused to the repeated requests of many of his friends, the
value of the obligation was heightened.

She and Miss Woodley had taken an airing to see the poor child, young
Rushbrook. Lord Elmwood inquiring of the ladies how they had passed
their morning, Miss Milner frankly told him; and added, "What pain it
gave her to leave the child behind, as he had again cried to come away
with her."

"Go for him then to-morrow," said Lord Elmwood, "and bring him home."

"Home!" she repeated, with surprise.

"Yes," replied he, "if you desire it, this shall be his home--you shall
be a mother, and I will, henceforward, be a father to him."

Sandford, who was present, looked unusually sour at this high token of
regard for Miss Milner; yet, with resentment on his face, he wiped a
tear of joy from his eye, for the boy's sake--his frown was the force of
prejudice, his tear the force of nature.

Rushbrook was brought home; and whenever Lord Elmwood wished to shew a
kindness to Miss Milner, without directing it immediately to her, he
took his nephew upon his knee, talked to him, and told him, he "Was glad
they had become acquainted."

In the various, though delicate, struggles for power between Miss Milner
and her guardian, there was not one person a witness to these incidents,
who did not suppose, that all would at last end in wedlock--for the most
common observer perceived, that ardent love was the foundation of every
discontent, as well as of every joy they experienced. One great
incident, however, totally reversed the hope of all future
accommodation.

The fashionable Mrs. G---- gave a masked ball; tickets were presented to
persons of quality and fashion; among the rest, three were sent to Miss
Milner. She had never been at a masquerade, and received them with
ecstasy--the more especially, as the masque being at the ho