g in the way of her
occupation, she turned her horses' heads towards London, that great
theatre on which there never was a loss for actors. The salutations had
hardly passed before, turning to John, she exclaimed, with what she
intended for a most motherly smile, "What! not shooting this fine day, Mr.
Moseley? I thought you never missed a day in the season."

"It is rather early yet, my lady," said John, coolly, a little alarmed by
the expression of her countenance.

"Oh!" continued the dowager, in the same strain, "I see how it is; the
ladies have too many attractions for so gallant a young man as yourself."
Now, as Grace, her own daughter, was the only lady of the party who could
reasonably be supposed to have much influence over John's movements--a
young gentleman seldom caring as much for his own as for other people's
sisters, this may be fairly set down as a pretty broad hint of the
opinion the dowager entertained of the real state of things; and John saw
it, and Grace saw it. The former coolly replied, "Why, upon the whole, if
you will excuse the neglect, I will try a shot this fine day," In five
minutes, Carlo and Rover were both delighted. Grace kept her place at the
window, from a feeling she could not define, and of which perhaps she was
unconscious, until the gate closed, and the shrubbery hid the sportsman
from her sight, and then she withdrew to her room to weep.

Had Grace Chatterton been a particle less delicate--less retiring--blessed
with a managing mother, as she was, John Moseley would not have thought
another moment about her. But, on every occasion when the dowager made any
of her open attacks, Grace discovered so much distress, so much
unwillingness to second them, that a suspicion of a confederacy never
entered his brain. It is not to be supposed that Lady Chattelton's
manoeuvres were limited to the direct and palpable schemes we have
mentioned; no--these were the effervescence, the exuberance of her zeal;
but as is generally the case, they sufficiently proved the ground-work of
all her other machinations; none of the little artifices of such as
placing--of leaving alone--of showing similarity of tastes:--of
compliments to the gentlemen, were neglected.--This latter business she
had contrived to get Catherine to take off her hands; but Grace could
never pay a compliment in her life, unless changing of color, trembling,
undulations of the bosom, and such natural movements can be so called; but
sh