ove a twelve month, when Sir Edward Lambton
returned from his travels, in which he had spent four years. As soon as
he arrived in the kingdom he came to wait on Lady Lambton, his
grandmother, who was likewise his guardian, his father and mother being
both dead. She had longed with impatience for his return, but thought
herself well repaid for his absence by the great improvement which was
very visible both in his manner and person.

Sir Edward was extremely handsome, his person fine and graceful, his
conversation lively and entertaining, politeness adding charms to an
excellent understanding. His behaviour, I have been told, was
particularly engaging, his temper amiable, though somewhat too warm, and
he had all his grandmother's generosity, without any of her pride.

It would have been strange if a man of three and twenty years old (for
that was Sir Edward's age) had not been much charmed with so lovely a
woman as Miss Mancel. That he was so, soon became visible, but she, as
well as his grandmother, for some time imagined the attentions he paid
her were only the natural result of the gallantry usual at his age, and
improved into a softer address, by a manner acquired in travelling
through countries where gallantry is publicly professed Lady Lambton,
however, knowing her own discernment, expressed some fears to Louisa,
lest her grandson should become seriously in love with her, in order to
discover by her countenance whether there was really any ground for her
apprehensions, which she founded on the impossibility of his marrying a
woman of small fortune, without reducing himself to the greatest
inconvenience, as his estate was extremely incumbered, and he was by an
intail deprived of the liberty of selling any part of it to discharge
the debt. She was too polite to mention her chief objection to Miss
Mancel, which was in reality the obscurity of her birth. Louisa, who
sincerely believed Sir Edward had no real passion for her, answered with
a frankness which entirely convinced Lady Lambton that she had received
no serious address from him; but Louisa, who saw herself now in the
situation which Mr d'Avora had warned her against, begged permission to
leave Lady Lambton's, to prevent her ladyship's being under any
uneasiness, and to avoid all danger of Sir Edward's receiving any strong
impression in her favour.

Lady Lambton was unwilling to part with her amiable companion; and
besides, thought if her grandson was really e