; but his many and
eloquent descriptions of them, particularly of his mother, had caused an
interest that compelled her to reveal a fatal secret which, she had
hoped, would never have passed her lips. Was it a mere rumour, or were
Lord Alphingham's attentions marked and decided towards his sister?
Percy believed there was very good foundation for the rumours he had
heard.

Did his parents approve of it? she again asked, and the flush of
excitement faded. Percy was not quite sure; he rather thought by his
mother's letters she did not, though Caroline was universally envied as
an object of such profound attention from one so courted and admired.
Did his sister love him?--the words appeared wrung with a violent effort
from Mrs. Amesfort's lips.

He did not fancy she did as yet; but he doubted not the power of Lord
Alphingham's many fascinations and exclusive devotion to herself, on one
naturally rather susceptible to vanity as was Caroline.

"Oh, if you love your sister, save her ere it be too late, ere her
affections are engaged," was Mrs. Amesfort's reply, with a burst of
emotion, the more terrible, from its contrast with her general calm and
unmoved demeanour. "Expose her not to those fascinations which I know no
heart can resist. Let her not associate with him--with my husband; he
is not free to love--I am his lawful wife; and the child you saved is
his--his own--the offspring of lawfully-hallowed wedlock; though he has
cast me off, though his eyes have never gazed upon my child, yet, yet we
are his. No cruel words of separation has the law of England spoken. But
do not, oh! if you have any regard for me," she continued, wildly
seizing both Percy's hands, as she marked the dark blood of passion
kindling on the young man's brow, "do not betray him; do not let him
know that his wife--his injured wife--has risen to cry shame upon him,
and banish him from those circles wherein he is formed to mingle.
Promise me faithfully, solemnly, you will not betray my secret more than
is necessary to preserve your sister from misery and ruin. I thought
even for her I could not have spoken thus, but I gazed on my child, and
remembered she too has a mother, whose happiness is centred in her as
mine is in my Agnes, and I could hesitate no more. Promise me you will
not abuse my confidence, Mr. Hamilton, promise me; let me not have the
misery of reproaches from him to whom my fond heart still clings, as it
did at first. Yes; though for n