What can I say to Evelyn?
Will you, dearest Lady Vargrave, make her accept all the homage which, when uttered by me, she seems half inclined to reject?
In haste, most affectionately yours, VARGRAVE.
HAMILTON PLACE, April 30, 18--.
This letter was by no means welcome, either to Mrs.Leslie or to Evelyn.
The former feared that Lord Vargrave would disapprove of a visit, the real objects of which could scarcely be owned to him; the latter was reminded of all she desired to forget.

But Lady Vargrave herself rather rejoiced at the thought of Lumley's arrival.

Hitherto, in the spirit of her passive and gentle character, she had taken the engagement between Evelyn and Lord Vargrave almost as a matter of course.

The will and wish of her late husband operated most powerfully on her mind; and while Evelyn was yet in childhood, Lumley's visits had ever been acceptable, and the playful girl liked the gay and good-humoured lord, who brought her all sorts of presents, and appeared as fond of dogs as herself.

But Evelyn's recent change of manner, her frequent fits of dejection and thought, once pointed out to Lady Vargrave by Mrs.Leslie, aroused all the affectionate and maternal anxiety of the former.