ving received her assurance that she had resisted all
Rochester's importunities, the apprentice promised to return on the
following night with means to affect her liberation, and departed. Fully
persuaded that she could now repose confidence in the earl, Amabel
acquainted him, the next morning, with Leonard's visit, adding that he
would now have an opportunity of proving the sincerity of his
professions by delivering her up to her friends.

"Since you desire it," replied the earl, who heard her with an unmoved
countenance, though internally torn with passion, "I will convey you to
your father myself. I had hoped," he added with a sigh, "that we should
never part again."

"I fear I have been mistaken in you, my lord," rejoined Amabel,
half-repenting her frankness.

"Not so," he replied. "I will do anything you require, except deliver
you to this hateful apprentice. If it is your pleasure, I repeat, I will
take you back to your father."

"Promise me this, my lord, and I shall be quite easy," cried Amabel,
joyfully.

"I do promise it," he returned. "But oh! why not stay with me, and
complete the good work you have begun?"

Amabel averted her head, and Rochester sighing deeply, quitted the room.
An attendant shortly afterwards came to inform her that the earl
intended to start for London without delay, and begged her to prepare
for the journey. In an hour's time, a carriage drove to the door, and
Rochester having placed her and Prudence in it, mounted his horse, and
set forth. Late on the second day they arrived in London, and passing
through the silent and deserted streets, the aspect of which struck
terror into all the party, shaped their course towards the city.
Presently they reached Ludgate, but instead of proceeding to
Wood-street, the carriage turned off on the right, and traversing
Thames-street, crossed London Bridge. Amabel could obtain no explanation
of this change from Prudence; and her uneasiness was not diminished when
the vehicle, which was driven down a narrow street on the left
immediately after quitting the bridge, stopped at the entrance of a
large court-yard. Rochester, who had already dismounted, assisted her to
alight, and in answer to her hasty inquiries why he had brought her
thither, told her he thought it better to defer taking her to her father
till the morrow. Obliged to be content with this excuse, she was led
into the house, severely reproaching herself for her indiscretion.
Nothing, ho