
and derision from the young and beautiful, construed into encouragement;
and though his hopes had been greatly damped by his knowledge of
Delamere's attachment to her, yet they were almost as quickly revived by
the great encouragement to persevere, which he had received from Lord
Montreville. He fancied that the barriers between her and Delamere being
insurmountable, she could not fail of being dazzled by so splendid a
fortune as he could himself offer her. That evening, she looked more
than usually lovely, and he determined with new ardour to pursue her.
But her disappearance put an end to all his brilliant visions; and
convinced him that his wealth, on which he had so long been accustomed
to value himself, had failed of procuring him the favour of the only
woman with whom he was disposed to share it. He was too well convinced
that Delamere had carried her off: and though deprived of all hope for
himself, he was too angry at the good fortune of his rival to forbear an
attempt to disturb him in it's possession. He drove therefore from
Clapham to the house of Sir Richard Crofts, where he had the
mortification of hearing that Sir Richard was gone with Lord Montreville
to the country house of Lord Dornock, and was not expected to return
'till the next day.

Rochely, aware that the only possible chance of preventing Delamere's
marriage was by an immediate pursuit, was greatly chagrined at this
unavoidable delay. He sat down, however, and with his usual laboured
precision wrote to Sir Richard Crofts, informing him of what had
happened. This was the operation of near an hour; and he then sent off a
man on horseback with it, who arriving at Lord Dornock's about three in
the morning, roused the family with some difficulty, and delivered to
Sir Richard the intelligence, which was immediately conveyed to Lord
Montreville; who having read Mr. Rochely's letter, could not flatter
himself with any hope that this alarm might be as groundless as one he
had before had on the same subject.

The disobedience of his son; the broken faith of Emmeline; and the rage,
complaints, and reproaches of Lady Montreville, all arose together in
his imagination; and anger, vexation, and regret, took possession of his
heart.

He had recourse in this, as in all other emergences, to Sir Richard
Crofts, who advised him immediately to pursue them.

As soon therefore as the sleeping servants could be collected, and the
carriage prepared, his Lordship and Sir Richard set out for London
together.--Lord Montreville determining to follow the fugitives as
