ord Colambre as she spoke these words, with such an
affectionate smile, and such an expression of open, inmost tenderness in
her whole countenance, that our hero could hardly resist the impulse of
his passion--could hardly restrain himself from falling at her feet that
instant, and declaring his love. 'But St. Omar! St. Omar!--It must not
be!'

'I must be gone!' said Lord Clonbrony, pulling out his watch. 'It is
time to go to my club; and poor Terry will wonder what has become of
me.'

Lord Colambre instantly offered to accompany his father; much to Lord
Clonbrony's, and more to Miss Nugent's surprise.

'What!' said she to herself, 'after so long an absence, leave me!--Leave
his mother, with whom he always used to stay--on purpose to avoid me!
What can I have done to displease him? It is clear it was not about Miss
Broadhurst's marriage he was offended; for he looked pleased, and like
himself, whilst I was talking of that; but the moment afterwards, what
a constrained, unintelligible expression of countenance and leaves me to
go to a club which he detests!'

As the gentlemen shut the door on leaving the room, Lady Clonbrony
wakened, and, starting up, exclaimed--

'What's the matter? Are they gone? Is Colambre gone?'

'Yes, ma'am, with my uncle.'

'Very odd! very odd of him to go and leave me! he always used to stay
with me--what did he say about me?'

'Nothing, ma'am.'

'Well, then, I have nothing to say about him, or about anything, indeed,
for I'm excessively tired and stupid--alone in London's as bad as
anywhere else. Ring the bell, and we'll go to bed directly--if you have
no objection, Grace.'

Grace made no objection; Lady Clonbrony went to bed and to sleep in ten
minutes, Miss Nugent went to bed; but she lay awake, considering what
could be the cause of her cousin Colambre's hard unkindness, and of 'his
altered eye.' She was openness itself and she determined that, the
first moment she could speak to him alone, she would at once ask for
an explanation. With this resolution, she rose in the morning, and went
down to the breakfast-room, in hopes of meeting him, as it had formerly
been his custom to be early; and she expected to find him reading in his
usual place.

CHAPTER XIV

No--Lord Colambre was not in his accustomed place, reading in the
breakfast-room: nor did he make his appearance till both his father and
mother had been some time at breakfast.

'Good morning to you, my Lord Colambre,'