! very true, Lady Berryl,' interrupted Lady Clonbrony; 'and I'll
be as delicate as you please about it afterwards; but, in the first and
foremost place, I must tell her the best part of the story--that she's
an heiress, madam, never killed anybody!' So, darting through all
opposition, Lady Clonbrony made her way into the room where Grace was
lying--'Yes, get up! get up! my own Grace, and be surprised--well you
may!--you are an heiress, after all.'

'Am I, my dear aunt?' said Grace.

'True, as I'm Lady Clonbrony--and a very great heiress--and no more
Colambre's cousin than Lady Berryl here. So now begin and love him as
fast as you please--I give my consent--and here he is.'

Lady Clonbrony turned to her son, who just appeared at the door.

'Oh, mother! what have you done?'

'What have I done?' cried Lady Clonbrony, following her son's
eyes:--'Lord bless me!--Grace fainted dead--lady Berryl? Oh, what have I
done? My dear Lady Berryl, what shall we do?'

'There! her colour's coming again,' said Lord Clonbrony; 'come away, my
dear Lady Clonbrony, for the present, and so will I--though I long to
talk to the darling girl myself; but she is not equal to it yet.'

When Grace came to herself, she first saw Lady Berryl leaning over her,
and, raising herself a little, she said--

'What has happened?--I don't know yet--I don't know whether I am happy
or not.'

Then seeing Lord Colambre, she sat quite upright. 'You received my
letter, cousin, I hope?--Do you go to Ireland with my aunt?'

'Yes; and with you, I hope, my beloved friend,' said Colambre; 'you once
assured me that I had such a share of your esteem and affection, that
the idea of my accompanying you to Ireland was not disagreeable to you;
you flattered me that I formed part of your agreeable associations with
home.'

'Yes--sit down by me, won't you, my dear Lady Berryl--but then I
considered you as my cousin, Lord Colambre, and I thought you felt the
same towards me; but now--'

'But now, my charming Grace,' said Lord Colambre, kneeling beside her,
and taking her hand, 'no invincible obstacle opposes my passion--no
INVINCIBLE obstacle, did I say? let me hope that I may say no obstacle,
but what depends on the change in the nature of your sentiments. You
heard my mother's consent; you saw her joy.'

'I scarcely knew what I heard or saw,' said Grace, blushing deeply, 'or
what I now see and hear; but of this I feel secure, before I comprehend
the mystery, befo