; and, driving to
Mrs. Delaval's, she sent her nephew home, intending to walk back.

Lady Lucy was alone, and she found her a gentle, simple-hearted girl,
with one sole affection, namely, for the brother, who was the whole
world to her; and taking Miss Martindale, on his word, as an object of
reverence and admiration. It was impossible not to thaw towards her: and
when Theodora spoke of the embellishment of the portrait, she needed
no more to make her spring up, and fetch a portfolio to exhibit her
brother's drawings. Admirable they were; sketches of foreign scenery,
many portraits, in different styles, of Lady Lucy herself, and the
especial treasure was a copy of Tennyson, interleaved with illustrations
in the German style, very fanciful and beautiful. Theodora was, however,
struck by the numerous traces she saw of the Lalla Rookh portrait. It
was there as the dark-eyed Isabel; again as Judith, in the Vision of
Fair Women; it slept as the Beauty in the Wood; and even in sweet St.
Agnes, she met it refined and purified; so that at last she observed,
'It is strange how like this is to my mother.'

'I think it must be,' said Lady Lucy; 'for I was quite struck by your
likeness to St. Erme's ideal sketches.'

Rather annoyed, Theodora laughed, and turning from the portfolio, asked
if she did not also draw?

'A little; but mine are too bad to be looked at.'

Theodora insisted, and the drawings were produced: all the best had
been done under Lord St. Erme's instruction. The affection between the
brother and sister touched her, and thinking herself neglectful of a
good little girl, she offered to take the desired walk at once. While
Lady Lucy was preparing, however, the brother came home, and oh! the
inconvenient satisfaction of his blushing looks.

Yet Theodora pardoned these, when he thanked her for being kind to his
sister; speaking with a sort of parental fondness and anxiety of his
wish to have Lucy with him, and of his desire that she should form
friendships that would benefit her.

Never had he spoken with so much reality, nor appeared to so much
advantage; and it was in his favour, too, that Theodora contrasted this
warm solicitude for his young sister with the indifference of her own
eldest brother. There was evidently none of the cold distance that was
the grievance of her home.

'Lady Lucy is almost out of the school-room,' she said. 'You will soon
be able to have her with you in the country.'

'There are