 had undergone in the morning, affected both the
spirits and the looks of Emmeline; and when, immediately after dinner,
Bellozane proposed the party of pleasure he had projected for the next
day, Lady Westhaven answered--'As for me I shall on my own account make
no objection, but I cannot equally answer for our fair cousin.--Emmeline,
my love, you seem ill. I cannot imagine, my Lord, what you have been
saying to her?'

'I have been advising her,' answered Lord Westhaven, 'to go into a
convent; and her looks are merely looks of penitence for all the
mischief she has done. She determines to take the veil, and to do no
more.'

Emmeline, tho' hardly able to bear even this friendly raillery, turned
it off with a melancholy smile. The party was agreed upon; the Baron
went out to give orders for preparing the provisions they were to take
with them, and the Chevalier to see that the boat was in a proper state
for the expedition and give the boatmen notice.

Lady Westhaven then began talking of England, and expressed her
astonishment at having heard nothing from thence for above six weeks.
While Lord Westhaven was attempting to account for this failure of
intelligence, which he saw gave his wife more concern than she
expressed, a servant brought in several large pacquets of letters, which
he said the messenger who was usually sent to the post town, had that
moment brought in.

His Lordship, eagerly surveying the address of each, gave to Emmeline
one for her; which opening, she found came from Mrs. Stafford, and
enclosed another.


                                               _St. Germains, June 6._

    'My dearest Emmeline will forgive me if I write only a line in the
  envelope, to account for the long detention of the enclosed letter.
  It has, by some mistake of Mr. La Fosse, been kept at Rouen instead
  of being forwarded to St. Germains; and appears to have passed thro'
  numberless hands. I hope you will get it safe; tho' my being at
  Paris when it _did_ arrive here has made it
  yet a week later. By the next post I shall write more fully, and
  therefore will now only tell you we are well, and that I am ever,
  with the truest attachment, your

                                                         C. STAFFORD.'


Emmeline now saw by the seal and the address that the second letter was
from Lord Montreville. It appeared to have been written in great haste;
and as she unfolded it, infinite was her amazement to find, instead of a
remittance
