owing to the irritation occasioned by the manner of lord Castle Dermot, he abruptly took his leave.

Lady Castle Dermot felt that her welcome to him had not been as cordial as usual, and she was vexed at the idea, from the esteem and friendship she knew he merited; but her jealous fears respecting Fidelia would not permit her to yield to her real feelings for him. That Fidelia had gone out purposely to avoid him she could not imagine-consequently was insincere in the inference she sought to have drawn from the circumstance.

That he should have gratified lord Castle Dermot by appearing to draw such a one, incensed Grandison with himself; and having accidentally learned that lady Castle Dermot was going in the evening to a party at Mr. Otwell's, where he was extremely intimate, he resolved on also going there, in order to dissipate the idea of any thing of the kind dwelling on his mind, and also perhaps with a secret hope

that the manner of Fidelia herself would prove the insinuation of her ladyship in the morning incorrect.

Unapprised of his intention, lord Castle Dermot made a shuffling excuse for not accompanying the ladies in the evening, to the extreme surprise and displeasure of his mother. The fact was, lady Caroline Ayrcourt had followed him from Rock Fort, and being invited to pass the evening where she had taken up her abode, he could not bring himself to refuse, for fear of offending her.

Though general Ayrcourt, then abroad with his regiment, had been her voluntary choice-not so much, certainly, from any real attachment as her wish to be emancipated from parental control-and she had no longer extreme youth to plead in extenuation of her levity, nothing delighted her so much as admiration. She had a large family, but as some of the young ladies and gentlemen might have done away the idea of her being exactly what she wished to be thought, she contrived

to keep them all in the back ground, except one infant boy of two years old, whom she took with her wherever she went, his being with her giving her an opportunity of displaying a thousand fascinating graces, and encouraging as many insidious gallantries.

Lord Castle Dermot, who, on coming over with his regiment from England, was invited to Rock Fort by Grandison, was quickly caught by her manner; and his attentions were doubly gratifying, from the wound her vanity had received from not being able to entangle Grandison, who against her allurements was doubly armed by love and principle.

Alarmed by a rumour which, purposely to excite her jealousy, lord Castle Dermot contrived to have conveyed to her, of a match being in contemplation for him, she suddenly recollected a promise she had made to pay a visit at lady O'Leary's, in the neighbourhood of Woodlands; and promising to make but a short stay, this prevented her mother accompanying her,

whose rigid observation she could not bear. Her following him was a source of unspeakable gratification to lord Castle Dermot, his vanity fully equalling her own; and not a minute was lost in renewing his devotions to her.

CHAPTER II.

Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness
Wherein the pregnant enemy does much."

THERE was a party for quadrilles at Mrs. Otwell's, but dancing had not commenced when colonel Grandison arrived. He quickly singled out Fidelia; he smilingly approached, and taking a seat beside her, whisperingly proceeded to offer his congratulations on the recent event. All her agitation renewed at his sight. Alike to conceal this agitation, and in conformity to her previous resolution of endeavouring as much as possible to prevent any renewal

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of their former acquaintance, instead of meeting his looks with her usual one of pleasurable welcome, Fidelia merely coldly and stiffly bowed to these congratulations.

Grandison was astonished-in the course of a few short days such an alteration!-Was it owing to conceit, to vanity, or to a wish to give him indirectly to understand his attentions were no longer agreeable? To whatever cause, he felt so hurt by it as speedily to determine on following the example she had set him.

While each was thus trying to fortify their mind against the other, dancing commenced, without any one asking Fidelia, from the natural supposition of her being engaged to Grandison. At length Mrs. Otwell, who was one of those indefatigable hostesses that worry themselves by restless attention to their guests, approached, with an exclamation of wonder at seeing them both sitting." Why, dear me !" she said, "what's the reason of this, Miss Hawthorn? Don't you dance?—or you, colo nel Grandison ?".