ty, she
would have lavished on her all the tenderness of former years.

When that mysterious letter from Percy came, although it caused his
parents considerable anxiety, yet it never once occurred that any
coldness on their part towards Lord Alphingham could occasion Caroline
any pain. Percy wrote with a degree of eloquent earnestness that could
not be resisted, and guarded as his information and caution was, Mr.
Hamilton determined implicitly to abide by it. The young man wrote what
Annie had informed Miss Malison; that he had heard from more than one
quarter of Lord Alphingham's marked attentions to his sister, that he
had even been congratulated on the brilliant alliance Caroline was about
to make. He did not, he could not believe that such was the case, he
said, for he should then have heard it from his parents, but he conjured
his father, however casual the Viscount's attentions might be, to
withdraw Caroline entirely from them.

"I know well," he wrote. "Father, as you value my sister's future peace,
expose her not to his many fascinations. If he has endeavoured to win
her heart, if he has paid her marked attentions, he is a villain! I dare
not be more explicit, I am pledged to silence, and only to you, my dear
father, and on such an emergency, am I privileged to write thus much.
Desire Caroline to give him no more encouragement, however slight; but
do not tell even this, it may not only alarm her, but be imparted
perhaps to her friend, as young ladies are fond of doing. You have once
said I never deceived you; father, trust me now, this is no jest; my
sister's happiness is too dear to me. Break off all connection with Lord
Alphingham. I give no credit to the rumours I have heard, for your
letters this season bade me hope Lord St. Eval would have been my
sister's choice. His departure from England has dispelled these visions;
but yet Caroline's affections cannot have been given to Lord Alphingham
without your or my mother's knowledge. Again I implore you, associate no
more with him, he is not worthy of my father's friendship."

Mysterious as this was, yet both Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton knew Percy too
well to imagine he would write thus without strong cause. The suspicions
and almost unconscious prejudice entertained towards him by Mrs.
Hamilton received confirmation by this letter, and she was pleased that
her husband determined no longer to encourage his intimacy. Percy wrote,
if he had paid Caroline marked attenti