of St. Eval should be of a disposition as ingenuous and open as his is
reserved; her affection, her sympathy, must make his felicity. He is
grave--too grave; she should be playful, but not childish. Even if she
have some faults, with the love for which my brother pines, the
ingenuousness unsullied by the most trifling artifice, her very faults
would bind her more closely to him."

Caroline was silent, and Lady Gertrude soon after changed the subject.
Had she heard no reports of Caroline's preference of Lord Alphingham, of
the affair which had somewhat hurried Mr. Hamilton's departure from
London, that conversation would have confirmed her suspicions, that her
brother was no subject of indifference to Caroline. She longed for her
to be candid with her, to hear the whole truth from her own lips. The
happiness of the young Earl was so dear to her, that she would have done
much, very much to secure it; yet so far she could not force herself to
go, particularly as he had given her no charge to do so. She little knew
that Caroline would have given worlds, had they been at her disposal, to
have confided all to her: her repentance, her folly, her earnest prayers
for amendment, to become at length worthy of St. Eval. Caroline loved,
truly loved, because she esteemed, Lady Gertrude; her friendship for her
differed as much from that she believed she had felt for Annie Grahame,
as her regard for St. Eval was unlike that which Lord Alphingham had
originated. Once, the superiority of Lady Gertrude's character would
have rendered her an object of almost dislike to Caroline, as possessing
virtues she admired but would not imitate. Now those virtues were
appreciated, her own inferiority was felt more painfully; and while
associating with her, the recollections of the past returned more than
ever, embittered by remorse. Sir George Wilmot and Lilla Grahame were
also guests at Oakwood. The former declared he had seldom anchored in
moorings so congenial to his taste. In Lilla the effects of happiness
and judicious treatment were already distinctly visible. The young men
spent the Christmas recess at home, and added much to the hilarity of
their domestic circle; nor must we forget Arthur Myrvin, who spent as
much of his time at Oakwood, as his duties permitted; the friendship of
Herbert Hamilton doing much to remove the bitter feelings which often
still possessed him. He would at first have shunned the invitation, but
vainly he strove to do