od had
assured the uncle of Lord Frederick, (who once waited upon him on the
subject of Miss Milner) that all resentment was, on his part, entirely
at an end; and that he was willing to consent to his ward's marriage
with his nephew, if she would concur; yet Lord Frederick doubted the
sincerity of this, and would still have had the delicacy not to have
entered Lord Elmwood's house, had he not been encouraged by Miss Milner,
and emboldened by his love. Personal resentment was therefore the
construction he put upon Lord Elmwood's emotion on entering the room;
but Miss Milner and Miss Woodley knew his agitation to arise from a far
different cause.

After his entrance, Lord Frederick did not attempt once to resume his
seat, but having bowed most respectfully to all present, he took his
leave; while Miss Milner followed him as far as the door, and repeated
her thanks for his protection.

Lord Elmwood was hurt beyond measure; but he had a second concern, which
was, that he had not the power to conceal how much he was affected. He
trembled--when he attempted to speak, he stammered--he perceived his face
burning with confusion, and thus one confusion gave birth to another,
till his state was pitiable.

Miss Milner, with all her assumed gaiety and real insolence, had not,
however, the insolence to seem as if she observed him; she had only the
confidence to observe him by stealth. And Mrs. Horton and Miss Woodley,
having opportunely begun a discourse upon some trivial occurrences, gave
him time to recover himself by degrees--yet, still it was merely by
degrees; for the impression which this incident had made, was deep, and
not easily to be erased. The entrance of Mr. Sandford, who knew nothing
of what had happened, was however, another relief; for he began a
conversation with him, which they very soon retired into the library to
terminate. Miss Milner, taking Miss Woodley with her, went directly to
her own apartment, and there exclaimed in rapture,

"He is mine--he loves me--and he is mine for ever."

Miss Woodley congratulated her upon believing so, but confessed she
herself "Had her fears."

"What fears?" cried Miss Milner: "don't you perceive that he loves me?"

"I do," said Miss Woodley, "but that I always believed; and, I think, if
he loves you now, he has yet the good sense to know that he has reason
to hate you."

"What has good sense to do with love?" returned Miss Milner--"If a lover
of mine suffers his underst