ive him.

"It would be useless," said Lord Alfred; "she knows her own mind too
well."

And so he went his way.

CHAPTER IV.

VACILLATION.

When the spring-time came, Sir Harry Hotspur with his wife and
daughter, went up to London. During the last season the house in
Bruton Street had been empty. He and his wife were then mourning
their lost son, and there was no place for the gaiety of London in
their lives. Sir Harry was still thinking of his great loss. He was
always thinking of the boy who was gone, who had been the apple of
his eye, his one great treasure, the only human being in the world
whose superior importance to his own he had been ready, in his heart
of hearts, to admit; but it was needful that the outer signs of
sorrow should be laid aside, and Emily Hotspur was taken up to
London, in order that she might be suited with a husband. That, in
truth, was the reason of their going. Neither Sir Harry nor Lady
Elizabeth would have cared to leave Cumberland had there been no such
cause. They would have been altogether content to remain at home had
Emily been obedient enough in the winter to accept the hand of the
suitor proposed for her.

The house was opened in Bruton Street, and Lord Alfred came to see
them. So also did Cousin George. There was no reason why Cousin
George should not come. Indeed, had he not done so, he must have been
the most ungracious of cousins. He came, and found Lady Elizabeth and
Emily at home. Emily told him that they were always there to receive
visitors on Sundays after morning church, and then he came again. She
had made no such communication to Lord Alfred, but then perhaps it
would have been hardly natural that she should have done so. Lady
Elizabeth, in a note which she had occasion to write to Lord Alfred,
did tell him of her custom on a Sunday afternoon; but Lord Alfred
took no such immediate advantage of the offer as did Cousin George.

As regarded the outward appearance of their life, the Hotspurs were
gayer this May than they had been heretofore when living in London.
There were dinner-parties, whereas in previous times there had only
been dinners at which a few friends might join them;--and there was
to be a ball. There was a box at the Opera, and there were horses
for the Park, and there was an understanding that the dealings with
Madame Milvodi, the milliner, were to be as unlimited as the occasion
demanded. It was perceived by every one that Miss Hotspur was