ftened
the heart,--almost of her father. She was as yet less powerful than
her mother, both in body and mind, but probably better calculated to
make a happy home for a husband and children. She was affectionate,
self-denying, and feminine. Had that offer of compromise for thirty,
twenty, or for ten thousand pounds been made to her, she would have
accepted it willingly,--caring little for her name, little even for
fame, so that she might have been happy and quiet, and at liberty to
think of a lover as are other girls. In her present condition, how
could she have any happy love? She was the Lady Anna Lovel, heir to
a ducal fortune,--but she lived in small close lodgings in Wyndham
Street, New Road. She did not believe in the good time coming as did
her mother. Their enemy was an undoubted Earl, undoubtedly owner of
Lovel Grange of which she had heard all her life. Would it not be
better to take what the young lord chose to give them and to be at
rest? But she did not dare to express such thoughts to her mother.
Her mother would have crushed her with a look.

"I have told Mr. Thwaite," the mother said to her daughter, "what we
were saying this morning."

"About his son?"

"Yes,--about his son."

"Oh, mamma!"

"I was bound to do so."

"And what did he say, mamma?"

"He did not like it, and told me that he did not like it;--but he
admitted that it was true. He admitted that his son was no fitting
intimate for Lady Anna Lovel."

"What should we have done without him?"

"Badly indeed; but that cannot change his duty, or ours. He is
helping us to struggle for that which is our own; but he would mar
his generosity if he put a taint on that which he is endeavouring to
restore to us."

"Put a taint, mamma!"

"Yes;--a taint would rest upon your rank if you as Lady Anna Lovel
were familiar with Daniel Thwaite as with an equal. His father
understands it, and will speak to him."

"Mamma, Daniel will be very angry."

"Then will he be very unreasonable;--but, Anna, I will not have you
call him Daniel any more."

CHAPTER IV.

THE TAILOR OF KESWICK.

Old Thomas Thwaite was at this time up in London about the business
of the Countess, but had no intention of residing there. He still
kept his shop in Keswick, and still made coats and trousers for
Cumberland statesmen. He was by no means in a condition to retire
from business, having spent the savings of his life in the cause of
the Countess and her daughter.