 cruel
idea, that it was not without an effort he recollected himself enough to
relate to his brother, as they walked, all that it was necessary for him
to know. Lord Westhaven, anxious for a life so precious to his wife and
her family as was that of Lord Delamere, determined immediately to go to
him. At present it was necessary to reveal as tenderly as possible his
situation to his sister, Lady Westhaven; and first to dissipate the
uneasiness she had suffered from the long absence of Emmeline.

[Footnote 36: Stay, stay a moment, ladies! Have the goodness to tell me
whether you belong to the family of the Baron de St. Alpin?]







Lord Westhaven first entered the room where his wife was, whose alarming
apprehensions at Emmeline's long stay were by this time extreme.

'Our Emmeline is returned, my love,' said he, 'and has met with no
accident.'

Lady Westhaven eagerly embracing her, reproached her tenderly for her
long absence. But then observing how pale she looked, and the fatigue
and oppression she seemed to suffer, her Ladyship said--

'Surely you have been frightened--or you are ill? You look so faint!'

'She is a little surprised,' interrupted Lord Westhaven, seeing her
still unable to answer for herself. 'She has brought us a visitor whom
we did not expect. My brother Godolphin landed just as she was returning
home.'

At this intelligence Lady Westhaven could express only pleasure. She had
never seen Godolphin, who was now introduced, and received with every
token of regard by her Ladyship, as well as by the Baron and Mrs. St.
Alpin; who beheld with pleasure another son of their sister, and beheld
him an honour to their family.

Bellozane, however, saw his arrival with less satisfaction. He
remembered that Emmeline had been, as she had told him, well acquainted
with Godolphin in England; and recollected that whenever he had been
spoken of, she had always done justice to his merit, yet rather evaded
than sought the conversation. Her extraordinary agitation on his
arrival, which was such as disabled her from walking home, seemed much
greater than could have been created by the sight of a mere
acquaintance; his figure was so uncommonly handsome, his countenance so
interesting, and his address such a fortunate mixture of dignity and
softness, that Bellozane, vain as he was, could not but acknowledge his
personal merit; and began to fear that the coldness and insensibility of
Emmeline, which he had, till now, supposed perseverance would vanquish,
