ared--"Mr. Sandford had used him ill, in not
permitting him to accompany his relation; for he feared that Mr.
Dorriforth would now throw himself upon the sword of Lord Frederick,
without a single friend near to defend him." A rebuke from the eye of
Miss Woodley, which from this day had a command over Miss Milner,
restrained her from expressing the affright she suffered from this
intimation. Miss Fenton replied, "As to that, my Lord, I see no reason
why Mr. Dorriforth and Lord Frederick should not now be friends."
"Certainly," said Mrs. Horton; "for as soon as my Lord Frederick is made
acquainted with Miss Milner's confession, all differences must be
reconciled."

"What confession?" asked Lord Elmwood.

Miss Milner, to avoid hearing a repetition of that which gave her pain
even to recollect, rose in order to retire into her own apartment, but
was obliged to sit down again, till she received the assistance of Lord
Elmwood and her friend, who led her into her dressing room. She reclined
upon a sofa there, and though left alone with that friend, a silence
followed of half an hour; nor when the conversation began, was the name
of Dorriforth once uttered--they were grown cool and considerate since
the discovery, and both were equally fearful of naming him.

The vanity of the world, the folly of riches, the charms of retirement,
and such topics engaged their discourse, but not their thoughts, for
near two hours; and the first time the word Dorriforth was spoken, was
by a servant, who with alacrity opened the dressing room door, without
previously rapping, and cried, "Madam, Mr. Dorriforth."

Dorriforth immediately came in, and went eagerly to Miss Milner. Miss
Woodley beheld the glow of joy and of guilt upon her face, and did not
rise to give him her seat, as was her custom, when she was sitting by
his ward and he came to her with intelligence. He therefore stood while
he repeated all that had happened in his interview with Lord Frederick.

But with her gladness to see her guardian safe, she had forgot to
enquire of the safety of his antagonist; of the man whom she had
pretended to love so passionately--even smiles of rapture were upon her
face, though Dorriforth might be returned from putting him to death.
This incongruity of behaviour Miss Woodley observed, and was
confounded--but Dorriforth, in whose thoughts a suspicion either of her
love for him, or indifference for Lord Frederick, had no place, easily
reconciled thi