; detested the very name of Lord
Ballindine, and felt no very strong affection for his poor innocent
ward. He accordingly made his wife nearly the same answer he had made
his daughter, and left her anything but comforted by the visit.

It was about eleven o'clock on the same evening, that Lord Kilcullen,
after parting with Fanny, opened the book-room door. He had been quite
sincere in what he had told her. He had made up his mind entirely to
give over all hopes of marrying her himself, and to tell his father
that the field was again open for Lord Ballindine, as far as he was
concerned.

There is no doubt that he would not have been noble enough to do this,
had he thought he had himself any chance of being successful; but still
there was something chivalrous in his resolve, something magnanimous in
his determination to do all he could for the happiness of her he really
loved, when everything in his own prospects was gloomy, dark, and
desperate. As he entered his father's room, feeling that it would
probably be very long before he should be closeted with him again, he
determined that he would not quietly bear reproaches, and even felt a
source of satisfaction in the prospect of telling his father that their
joint plans were overturned--their schemes completely at an end.

"I'm disturbing you, my lord, I'm afraid," said the son, walking into
the room, not at all with the manner of one who had any hesitation at
causing the disturbance.

"Who's that?" said the earl--"Adolphus?--no--yes. That is, I'm just
going to bed; what is it you want?" The earl had been dozing after all
the vexations of the day.

"To tell the truth, my lord, I've a good deal that I wish to say: will
it trouble you to listen to me?"

"Won't to-morrow morning do?"

"I shall leave Grey Abbey early to-morrow, my lord; immediately after
breakfast."

"Good heavens, Kilcullen! what do you mean? You're not going to run off
to London again?"

"A little farther than that, I'm afraid, will be necessary," said the
son. "I have offered to Miss Wyndham--have been refused--and, having
finished my business at Grey Abbey, your lordship will probably think
that in leaving it I shall be acting with discretion."

"You have offered to Fanny and been refused!"

"Indeed I have; finally and peremptorily refused. Not only that: I have
pledged my word to my cousin that I will never renew my suit."

The earl sat speechless in his chair--so much worse was this
catas