 his Lordship that nothing should be said on the
subject which occupied the thoughts of the father; on which condition
only the son consented to meet him.







Notwithstanding the steadiness Emmeline had hitherto shewn in rejecting
the clandestine addresses of Delamere, he still hoped they would
succeed. A degree of vanity, pardonable in a young man possessing so
many advantages of person and fortune, made him trust to those
advantages, and to his unwearied assiduity, to conquer her reluctance.
He determined therefore to persevere; and did not imagine it was likely
he could again lose sight of her by a stratagem, against which he was
now on his guard.

As he fancied Lord Montreville and his sister designed to carry her with
them when they went, he kept a constant eye on their motions, and set
his own servant, and Fitz-Edward's valet, to watch the servants of Lord
Montreville.

Fitz-Edward, who had been so near losing the confidence of both the
father and son, found it expedient to observe a neutrality, which it
required all his address to support; being constantly appealed to by
them both.

Lord Montreville, he advised to adhere to moderate measures and gentle
persuasions, and to trust to Emmeline's own strength of mind and good
conduct; while to Delamere he recommended dissimulation; and advised him
to quit Swansea at present, which would prevent Emmeline's being removed
from thence, and leave it in his power at any time to see her again.

Lord Montreville, on cooler reflection, was by no means satisfied with
Fitz-Edward. To encourage his son's project, and even to accompany him
in it, in the vain hope of detaching him from Emmeline before an
irrevocable engagement could be formed, seemed to be at least very
blameable; and if he had seen the connection likely to take place on a
less honourable footing, his conduct was more immoral, if not so
impolitic.

Either way, Lord Montreville felt it so displeasing, that he determined
not to trust Fitz-Edward in what he now meditated, which was, to remove
Emmeline from Swansea before he and his daughter quitted it, and to
place her with the sister of Mr. Stafford; who being now arrived, had
engaged to obtain his sister's concurrence with their plan.

A female council therefore was held on the means of Emmeline's removal;
and it was settled that a post-chaise should, on the night fixed, be in
waiting at the distance of half a mile from the town; where Emmeline
should meet it; and that a servant of Mr. Stafford
