injuring poor Frank and my dear children."

"And in God's name, what do you return him for the sacrifice?" asked
Esmond, aghast; who knew enough of men, and of this one in particular,
to be aware that such a finished rake gave nothing for nothing. "How, in
heaven's name, are you to pay him?"

"Pay him! With a mother's blessing and a wife's prayers!" cries my lady,
clasping her hands together. Harry Esmond did not know whether to
laugh, to be angry, or to love his dear mistress more than ever for the
obstinate innocency with which she chose to regard the conduct of a man
of the world, whose designs he knew better how to interpret. He told the
lady, guardedly, but so as to make his meaning quite clear to her, what
he knew in respect of the former life and conduct of this nobleman; of
other women against whom he had plotted, and whom he had overcome;
of the conversation which he, Harry himself, had had with Lord Mohun,
wherein the lord made a boast of his libertinism, and frequently avowed
that he held all women to be fair game (as his lordship styled this
pretty sport), and that they were all, without exception, to be won. And
the return Harry had for his entreaties and remonstrances was a fit
of anger on Lady Castlewood's part, who would not listen to his
accusations; she said and retorted that he himself must be very wicked
and perverted to suppose evil designs where she was sure none were
meant. "And this is the good meddlers get of interfering," Harry thought
to himself with much bitterness; and his perplexity and annoyance were
only the greater, because he could not speak to my Lord Castlewood
himself upon a subject of this nature, or venture to advise or warn him
regarding a matter so very sacred as his own honor, of which my lord was
naturally the best guardian.

But though Lady Castlewood would listen to no advice from her young
dependant, and appeared indignantly to refuse it when offered, Harry
had the satisfaction to find that she adopted the counsel which she
professed to reject; for the next day she pleaded a headache, when my
Lord Mohun would have had her drive out, and the next day the headache
continued; and next day, in a laughing gay way, she proposed that the
children should take her place in his lordship's car, for they would
be charmed with a ride of all things; and she must not have all the
pleasure for herself. My lord gave them a drive with a very good grace,
though, I dare say, with rage and di