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CHAPTER VIII.

Rosalind. O, how full of briars is this working-day world! Celia. They are but burs, Cousin, thrown upon thee in holiday foolery,-AS YOU LIKE IT.

'W

THERE have you been all the morning, Leonard?' said Mrs. Mordaunt, as he entered her drawing-room some time after the luncheon-tray had been dismissed.

Leonard gave the same account of his proceedings as on the foregoing evening, and with the same composure. 'To Duck Dub. I was on my way there with Miriam Leigh, when we fell in with Uncle Ralph, who asked me to have luncheon at their dinner, and I stayed accordingly.'

'What a concession!' observed Susan, who stood in the open window, impatiently playing with her riding-whip. You used to be fine on Madge's cookery. We have been waiting to start on our ride until Papa declared that he would wait no longer, and went to order the horses round.'

'So my uncle is going,' said Leonard, in a tone expressive of anything but satisfaction.

Susan,' said Mrs. Mordaunt, 'will you run up and ask Lily if she would like to drive with me this afternoon?' And she only waited until her daughter

had left the room in compliance with this request, to continue, in a deprecating tone, 'I am so sorry, my dear Leo, to hear that you are getting into difficulties again.'

Leonard put his hands into his pockets, walked to the window, and whistled, but he turned round after a moment's cogitation with himself, his features relaxing into their pleasantest smile. You can't be more sorry than I am. But if I am to be visited with a lecture on economy every time I come to the Mains, I shall begin to associate the place and the people, and Aunt Helen in particular, with everything that is disagreeable.'

Mrs. Mordaunt tried to look grave, but it would not do, and she resolved, as she had often resolved before, to give up the attempt to administer good advice, since Leonard invariably succeeded in enlisting her sympathies on his side. He was so pleasant and well-looking, that she felt obliged to take a lenient view of his follies.

'However,' continued Leonard, 'if you do not put me en pénitence, but make much of me as an oppressed and injured individual, I will handsomely give up this Scotch visit, and endeavour to support existence here.'

The consciousness of Mr. Mordaunt's suspicions checked Aunt Helen's inclination to approve of this prudent intention; and as she did not at once reply, Leonard rejoined, in a tone of some pique, 'Or do you intend to turn me adrift, and cut the connection altogether ?'

'My dear Leonard! You must not take such fancies into your head. I was only hesitating

whether I ought to say that John does not really intend you to give up your visit to Eachnish, though he was vexed, and inclined to put forward difficulties at the time. Only, my dear boy, you really must be prudent.'

Leonard laughed, and promised.. He would have been better pleased with the concession before his visit to Duck Dub, but the attractions of a shooting party still outweighed those of Miriam Leigh, and the prospect of spending three months at the Mains with no more exciting occupation than that of winning the confidence of a shy, reserved girl, was now willingly relinquished.

Mr. Mordaunt had worked off his indignation in the morning, and he contented himself with one severe remark on unpunctuality when Leonard joined them at the hall door, after which they all three set out with a determination to enjoy their ride. Susan, however, was soon piqued by her cousin's evident desire to baffle her curiosity concerning his visit to Duck Dub; and it required great perseverance to extract the observation, that the place and its owner were more unpolished than ever, or perhaps they only seemed so to him, from their incongruity with the refinement and delicate beauty of the new inmate.

'Well,' said Susan, always on the defensive where Mr. Cornwall was concerned, 'I wonder what Miriam would have, if Uncle Ralph is not good enough for her.'

'What she has neither from him nor from any. one else, Susan,-love and tenderness.'

'And why should you assume that the fault is

on Uncle Ralph's side? I know that I never see them together without feeling that his rough kindliness of manner is worth all her formal self-possession.'

'I cannot see anything to dislike in Miriam Leigh,' said Mr. Mordaunt; 'I have not seen much of her, indeed, and scarcely know the sound of her voice, but she is a pretty little thing.'

'Well, Papa, I cannot even admire her beauty. It is so insipid, and then she has but one expression.'

You think so, do you?' said Leonard, checking the more vehement reply which rose to his lips, but giving vent to his indignation by adding, 'She is not in the Mordaunt style, certainly.'

That is not a fair retort, Leo,' observed his uncle; 'every one has a right to an opinion in matters of taste, without being accused of personal vanity.'

'And I do not care in the very least what he says, Papa,' said Susan, with an eagerness scarcely consistent with the indifference she professed. Nor was Leonard's careless and good-humoured assurance that he had not intended anything uncivil, calculated to appease her.

They passed the gates of Kilworth, Mr. Merton's place, and Leonard directed a mischievous sidelong glance towards his cousin, as he asked whether he would not be expected to call on its owner.

No, don't,' said Susan, in a tone of irritation, which did not meet her father's ears, since his reply was made at the same moment: 'Decidedly, you ought to call; but it is not worth while to stop now, as you can do it on foot.'

They set off to canter up the approach, and nothing further was said until they reached the house; then Leonard said, with another laughing glance, 'And why not, Susan ?'

Susan coloured, and tried to smile also, but her cousin saw the tears rise, and he good-humouredly forbore to press the question. Come to the gar

den,' he said, 'it is too fine to go in until the dressing-bell rings.'

But Susan turned away, answering shortly, 'No, thank you;' and Leonard watched her retreat with a low whistle of amusement, and a half-uttered soliloquy, Poor dear Susan! I had no idea the matter was so serious. I shall go at once to inspect the hero.' And he only waited to set out for Kilworth until he had ascertained that there was a visitingcard in his pocket, Mr. Mordaunt commending his energy.

Susan went up to the schoolroom, where, as she expected, she found Ailie alone. Lilias was driving with her mother, the two other girls busied in the garden, and Ailie enjoyed the luxury of a quiet afternoon at home. It was evident, however, that the intrusion on her solitude was not unwelcome, and Susan did not wait for permission to take her accustomed place on the sofa. Yet she seemed disinclined to avail herself of the opportunity for an undisturbed talk, until Ailie accused her of being distraite.

Am I?' said Susan; 'I don't know of what I was thinking, all sorts of things at once.

me, Ailie, were you ever loved ? '

Tell

'That is a startling question,' said Ailie, while a