 Lady Bellaston, had more than once
seen Sophia there, since her Arrival in Town, and had conceived a very great
liking to her; which Liking, as Beauty never looks more amiable than in
Distress, Sophia had in this Fright so encreased, that he might now without any
great Impropriety be said to be actually in love with her.
    It may easily be believed that he would not suffer so handsome an Occasion
of improving his Acquaintance with the beloved Object as now offered itself to
elapse, when even Good-breeding alone might have prompted him to pay her a
Visit.
    The next Morning therefore, after this Accident he waited on Sophia, with
the usual Compliments and Hopes that she had received no Harm from her last
Night's Adventure.
    As Love, like Fire, when once thoroughly kindled, is soon blown into a
Flame; Sophia in a very short time completed her Conquest. Time now flew away
unperceived, and the Noble Lord had been two Hours in Company with the Lady,
before it entered into his Head that he had made too long a Visit. Tho' this
Circumstance alone would have alarmed Sophia, who was somewhat more a Mistress
of Computation at present; she had indeed much more pregnant Evidence from the
Eyes of her Lover of what past within his Bosom; nay, though he did not make any
open Declaration of his Passion, yet many of his Expressions were rather too
warm, and too tender to have been imputed to Complaisance, even in the Age when
such Complaisance was in Fashion; the very Reverse of which is well known to be
the reigning Mode at present.
    Lady Bellaston had been apprised of his Lordship's Visit at his first
Arrival; and the Length of it very well satisfied her that Things went as she
wished, and as indeed she had suspected the second time she saw this young
Couple together. This Business she rightly, I think, concluded, that she should
by no means forward by mixing in the Company while they were together; she
therefore ordered her Servants, that when my Lord was going, they should tell
him, she desired to speak with him, and employed the intermediate Time in
meditating how best to accomplish a Scheme which she made no doubt but his
Lordship would very readily embrace the Execution of.
    Lord Fellamar (for that was the Title of this young Nobleman) was no sooner
introduced to her Ladyship, than she attacked him in the following Strain:
»Bless me, my Lord, are you here yet? I thought my Servants had made a Mistake
and let you go away; and I wanted to see you
