frigid production
of a skilful statuary, who had caught a divinity in the very act of
disdainfully setting her foot for the first time upon this poor earth of
ours; but Kate is a living and breathing beauty--as it were, fresh from
the hand of God himself!

Kate was very affectionately greeted by Lady De la Zouch, a lofty and
dignified woman of about fifty; so also by Lord De la Zouch; but when
young Delamere welcomed her with a palpable embarrassment of manner, a
more brilliant color stole into her cheek, and a keen observer might
have noticed a little, rapid, undulating motion in her bosom, which told
of some inward emotion. And a keen observer Kate at that moment had in
her beautiful rival; from whose cheek, as that of Kate deepened in its
roseate bloom, faded away the color entirely, leaving it the hue of the
lily. Her drooping eyelids could scarcely conceal the glances of alarm
and anger which she darted at her plainly successful rival in the
affections of the future Lord De la Zouch. Kate was quickly aware of
this state of matters; and it required no little self-control to appear
_un_aware of it. Delamere took her down to dinner, and seated himself
beside her, and paid her such pointed attentions as at length really
distressed her; and she was quite relieved when the time came for the
ladies to withdraw. That she had not a secret yearning towards Delamere,
the frequent companion of her early days, I cannot assert, because I
know it would be contrary to the fact. Circumstances had kept him on the
Continent for more than a year between the period of his quitting Eton
and going to Oxford, where another twelve-month had slipped away without
his visiting Yorkshire: thus two years had elapsed--and behold Kate had
become a woman and he a man! They had mutual predispositions towards
each other, and 'twas mere accident which of them first manifested
symptoms of fondness for the other--the same result must have followed,
namely, (to use a great word,) reciprocation. Lord and Lady De la Zouch
idolized their son, and were old and very firm friends of the Aubrey
family; and, if Delamere really formed an attachment to one of Miss
Aubrey's beauty, accomplishments, talent, amiability, and ancient
family--why should he not be gratified? Kate, whether she would or not,
was set down to the piano, Lady Caroline accompanying her on the
harp--on which she usually performed with mingled skill and grace; but
on the present occasion, both