I refer you for the rest."

"Then I am satisfied," replied St. Eval, the flush of joyous excitement
staining his cheek, and rendering his expressive countenance more than
usually handsome, by the animation it produced.

Mrs. Hamilton, with Emmeline and Ellen, had returned from their ride
rather later than usual, for they had gone to see a friend some few
miles out of town, and finding it near the hour of dinner, they had
dispersed to their dressing-rooms instead of entering the drawing-room
as usual. On inquiring for Caroline, if she had been out with Lady
Gertrude, or was still at home, she heard, to her extreme astonishment,
that Miss Hamilton had not gone out, but that Lord St. Eval had been
with her above an hour, nor had she left him to obey the summons of the
dressing-bell, as usual. A throb of pleasure shot through the heart of
Mrs. Hamilton, she scarcely knew wherefore, for it was no uncommon thing
for Lord St. Eval to spend an hour at her house, but it was that he
should thus have sought the society of Caroline alone.

"Had either of her sons been with him?" she asked, and the answer was in
the negative.

Martyn silently concluded her task, for she saw deep thought was on her
lady's brow, which she was too respectful to disturb; an earnest thought
it was, it might have been that silent prayer had mingled with it. Still
was that wish uppermost in Mrs. Hamilton's mind, that she might one day
see her Caroline the happy wife of Lord St. Eval; but when she entered
the drawing-room, words were not needed to explain the scene before her.
Mr. Hamilton had drawn his daughter to him, and was pressing the young
Earl's hand in his with a grasp that spoke volumes.

"St. Eval, you have been too long the son of my affections, for one
instant to doubt my consent," Mrs. Hamilton heard her husband say, as
she entered; "it is yours, freely, gladly. Speak not of fortune, I would
give my child to you, had you but yourself to offer. But I am but a
secondary personage in this business," he added, playfully; "there is
the enchantress who holds the fate of my Caroline more firmly than I do.
Away with you, St. Eval, plead your cause to her."

"Caroline, my own, does your happiness depend on my consent, or have you
done this merely for my sake?" murmured Mrs. Hamilton, as her child
clung in silence to her neck, and Lord St. Eval seized her hand and
pressed it to his lips, as if eloquent silence should tell his tale,
too, better th