erself to be so much
offended with me. He wished that the man, who took such pains to keep up
and enflame the passions of my father and uncles, were not at the bottom
of this mischief too.

I was afraid, I said, that my brother was: or else my uncle Antony, I
dared to say, would not have taken such pains to set Mrs. Howe against
me, as I understood he had done.

Since I had declined visiting Lady Sarah, and Lady Betty, he asked me,
if I should accept of a visit from his cousin Montague, and accept of a
servant of hers for the present?

That was not, I said, an acceptable proposal: but I would first see if
my friends would send me my clothes, that I might not make such a giddy
and runaway appearance to any of his relations.

If I pleased, he would take another journey to Windsor, to make a more
particular inquiry amongst the canons, or in any worthy family.

Were not his objections as to the publicness of the place, I asked him,
as strong now as before?

I remember, my dear, in one of your former letters, you mentioned London
as the most private place to be in:* and I said, that since he made such
pretences against leaving me here, as shewed he had no intention to do
so; and since he engaged to go from me, and leave me to pursue my
own measures, if I were elsewhere; and since his presence made these
lodgings inconvenient to me; I should not be disinclined to go to
London, did I know any body there.

* See Vol. II. Letter XXXVII.

As he had several times proposed London to me, I expected that he would
eagerly have embraced that motion from me. But he took not ready hold of
it: yet I thought his eye approved of it.

We are both great watchers of each other's eyes; and, indeed, seem to be
more than half afraid of each other.

He then made a grateful proposal to me: 'that I would send for my Norton
to attend me.'*

* The reader is referred to Mr. Lovelace's next letter, for his motives
in making the several proposals of which the Lady is willing to think so
well.

He saw by my eyes, he said, that he had at last been happy in an
expedient, which would answer the wishes of us both. Why, says he, did
I not think of it before?--And snatching my hand, Shall I write, Madam?
Shall I send? Shall I go and fetch the worthy woman myself?

After a little consideration, I told him that this was indeed a grateful
motion: but that I apprehended it would put her to a difficulty which
she would not be able