not fail to be
flattering. "She will be as safe under my care as were she under the
observance of her mother."

"That I do not doubt one moment," replied Mrs. Hamilton, earnestly; "if
I hesitated, it was from no doubt of either your grace's care or
kindness. If Caroline be willing to accept your invitation, and her
father consent, she has my permission."

"Thank you, my good friend; I trusted in my eloquence to prevail," the
Duchess said, smiling with an air of sincerity that gratified Mrs.
Hamilton; and she quickly imparted to Caroline the accepted invitation,
but in vain endeavoured to read on the face of her child whether she
were pleased or otherwise. Circumstances which caused Mrs. Hamilton
rather to rejoice at Caroline's absence from London for a time, were to
the latter great preventives to the enjoyment to which, in such elegant
society, she might otherwise have looked forward. Annie Grahame was,
much to her own vexation, excluded from this select circle. The Duchess
had penetrated her designing character, and regarded her with a
prejudice, as violent as was her nature. She was only invited to those
large assemblies which included all her acquaintances, not merely her
friends. Amazed at this slight, Miss Grahame at once determined that
there the catastrophe for which she had so long planned should take
place, and her detestation of Mrs. Hamilton be gratified to the
uttermost.

Would Lord Alphingham be there, was a question that crossed Caroline's
mind repeatedly, and was as often demanded of her friend. Annie either
would not or could not tell; and she would add, perhaps she ought to
congratulate Caroline on her separation from him, as such a dread
mandate had gone from her parent, and she surely would not wish to
encourage his society; and then she would implore her forgiveness, and
sympathise so well in her fancied distress, and describe that of Lord
Alphingham in such heightened colours, that Caroline, unsophisticated as
in some things she still was, felt truly miserable. The Viscount's
sudden departure from town would have been unaccountable, had not Annie
succeeded in persuading her that she was sure it was entirely owing to
her (Caroline's) coldness and Mr. Hamilton's unaccountable conduct.

Mr. Hamilton did not at first approve of his daughter leaving home
without her mother, even to visit the Duchess of Rothbury, but he
yielded to the solicitations of his wife. They knew that Lord Alphingham
was so