ington. Upon my word, I'm
afraid you have been very naughty."

"I have been foolish, Lady de Courcy."

"Of course; I did not mean anything worse than that. Yes, you have
been foolish;--amusing yourself in a thoughtless way, you know, and,
perhaps, a little piqued because a certain lady was not to be won so
easily as your Royal Highness wished. Well, now, all that must be
settled, you know, as quickly as possible. I don't want to ask any
indiscreet questions; but if the young lady has really been left
with any idea that you meant anything, don't you think you should
undeceive her at once?"

"Of course he will, mamma."

"Of course you will; and it will be a great comfort to Alexandrina to
know that the matter is arranged. You hear what Lady Julia is saying
almost every hour of her life. Now, of course, Alexandrina does not
care what an old maid like Lady Julia may say; but it will be better
for all parties that the rumour should be put a stop to. If the earl
were to hear it, he might, you know--" And the countess shook her
head, thinking that she could thus best indicate what the earl might
do, if he were to take it into his head to do anything.

Crosbie could not bring himself to hold any very confidential
intercourse with the countess about Lily; but he gave a muttered
assurance that he should, as a matter of course, make known the truth
to Miss Dale with as little delay as possible. He could not say
exactly when he would write, nor whether he would write to her or to
her mother; but the thing should be done immediately on his return to
town.

"If it will make the matter easier, I will write to Mrs Dale," said
the countess. But to this scheme Mr Crosbie objected very strongly.

And then a few words were said about the earl. "I will tell him this
afternoon," said the countess; "and then you can see him to-morrow
morning. I don't suppose he will say very much, you know; and
perhaps he may think,--you won't mind my saying it, I'm sure,--that
Alexandrina might have done better. But I don't believe that
he'll raise any strong objection. There will be something about
settlements, and that sort of thing, of course." Then the countess
went away, and Alexandrina was left with her lover for half an hour.
When the half-hour was over, he felt that he would have given all
that he had in the world to have back the last four-and-twenty hours
of his existence. But he had no hope. To jilt Lily Dale would, no
doubt, be within h