First of all, if was clear and evident that he was engaged to Lucia; he stopped a moment there to think of her, and that she was certainly a prize in the lottery of life, so beautiful, gracious, and devoted to him as she was; but he had not the smallest uncertainty about Mrs.Costello's consent, so never glanced towards any possible missing of the prize.

That was all very well, _very_ well, at present, though undeniably it would have been better if Lucia could have had Lady Adeliza's advantages.

Ah! that was the next step.

There was Lady Adeliza to be got rid of--if she did not herself, take the initiative--and that was not a pleasant affair.

He had only been extremely attentive to her, that was the utmost anybody could say; but then there was his father--the two fathers, indeed, for he had good reason to believe that the Earl had not urged him to pay his suit to the lady without pretty good cause for counting on the approval of her family.