e hotel.'

'Fortunately there cannot be two ways of thinking on this matter,' said
Theodora.

Lady Elizabeth was too anxious to break the tidings to her daughter to
wait at that time to see Violet; and went, promising to come to-morrow
to report how the blow should have been borne.

Theodora was glad when she had a little space in which to think over the
events of the day.

Ever since she had embraced the lesson of humility, the once despised
Emma Brandon had been rising in her estimation. The lowliness of her
manners, and the heart-whole consistency of her self-devotion, had far
outweighed her little follies, and, together with remorse for having
depreciated and neglected her, had established her claim to respect and
admiration.

And now to find the old prediction verified, and Emma led away by so
absurd a delusion, might have seemed a triumph, had not Theodora been
thoroughly humbled. She only saw a humiliating contrast between the true
pure heart that blindly gave its full affections, and that which could
pretend to have given itself away, and then, out of mere impatience of
restraint, play with and torture the love it had excited, and, still
worse, foster an attachment it never meant to requite!

She was the more sensible of this latter delinquency now that Lord St.
Erme had just been brought before her, deserving all that man could
deserve; having more than achieved all to which she had incited him, and
showing a constancy unchecked by the loss of her personal attractions.
His blushing homage came almost as a compensating contrast after her
severe mortification at Percy's surprise and subsequent cool composure.

While reproaching herself for this feeling, her father came home, and
with him the Earl. They had been occupied all the afternoon, and had
fallen into conversation on county business. Lord Martindale, finding
his young friend was alone at his hotel, thought he had better dine
with them, since Violet need not be troubled about it. Theodora wondered
whether it had occurred to her father that some one else might be
troubled, and that it might seem like a renewal of encouragement; but
the fact was, that after ten days of the sick-room, his society was a
positive treat to Lord Martindale, and in advising him on magistrate's
business, he forgot everything else.

The dinner went off without embarrassment. Lord St. Erme did indeed
blush when he offered his arm to her; but with consideration that
seemed to