is happiness vitally concerned; and that he
was of age to choose for himself independently of their consent, but for
a previous promise extracted from him by his father, a promise which,
rigidly construed, was not extended to Lady Chillingly, but confined
to Sir Peter as the head of the family and master of the household. The
father's consent was already given, and, if in his reverence for both
parents Kenelm could not dispense with his mother's approval, surely
it was the part of a true friend to remove every scruple from his
conscience, and smooth away every obstacle to a love not to be condemned
because it was disinterested.

After this conversation, Lady Glenalvon sought Kenelm, found him
gloomily musing on the banks of the trout-stream, took his arm, led him
into the sombre glades of the fir-grove, and listened patiently to
all he had to say. Even then her woman's heart was not won to his
reasonings, until he said pathetically, "You thanked me once for saving
your son's life: you said then that you could never repay me; you can
repay me tenfold. Could your son, who is now, we trust, in heaven, look
down and judge between us, do you think he would approve you if you
refuse?"

Then Lady Glenalvon wept, and took his hand, kissed his forehead as
a mother might kiss it, and said, "You triumph; I will go to Lady
Chillingly at once. Marry her whom you so love, on one condition: marry
her from my house."

Lady Glenalvon was not one of those women who serve a friend by
halves. She knew well how to propitiate and reason down the apathetic
temperament of Lady Chillingly; she did not cease till that lady herself
came into Kenelm's room, and said very quietly,--

"So you are going to propose to Miss Mordaunt, the Warwickshire
Mordaunts I suppose? Lady Glenalvon says she is a very lovely girl,
and will stay with her before the wedding. And as the young lady is an
orphan Lady Glenalvon's uncle the Duke, who is connected with the eldest
branch of the Mordaunts, will give her away. It will be a very brilliant
affair. I am sure I wish you happy; it is time you should have sown your
wild oats."

Two days after the consent thus formally given, Kenelm quitted
Exmundham. Sir Peter would have accompanied him to pay his respects to
the intended, but the agitation he had gone through brought on a sharp
twinge of the gout, which consigned his feet to flannels.

After Kenelm had gone, Lady Glenalvon went into Cecilia's room. Cecilia