 father
had forbidden him, on pain of his everlasting displeasure, ever again to
think of Emmeline.

After having for some time, he said, combated their inveterate
prejudice, he had left them abruptly, and set out with his three
servants for St. Alpin, (where Godolphin informed him Emmeline was to
be;) when a fever, owing to heat and fatigue, seized and confined him
where he now was.

'Ah, tell me, my sister, what hopes are there that Emmeline will pardon
me? May I dare enquire whether she is yet to be moved in my favour?'

Lady Westhaven, who during their journey could perceive no symptoms that
her resolution was likely to give way, dared not feed him with false
hopes; yet unwilling to depress him by saying all she feared, she told
him that Emmeline was greatly and with justice offended; but that all he
could at present do, was to take care of his health. She entreated him
to consider the consequence of another relapse, which might be brought
on by his eagerness and emotion; and then conjuring him to keep all he
knew of Lady Adelina a secret from Lord Westhaven (the necessity of
which he already had heard from Godolphin) she left him and returned to
Emmeline.

To avoid the importunity of Bellozane, and the melancholy looks of
Godolphin, which affected her with the tenderest sorrow, she had retired
to a bed chamber, where she waited the return of Lady Westhaven with
impatience.

Her solicitude for Delamere was very great; and her heart greatly
lightened when she found that even his tender and apprehensive sister
did not think him in any immediate danger, and believed that a few days
would put him out of hazard even of a relapse.

She now again thought, that since Lady Westhaven had nothing to fear for
his life, her presence would be less necessary; and her mind, the longer
it thought of Mowbray Castle, adhering with more fondness to her plan of
flying thither, she considered how she might obtain in a few days Lady
Westhaven's consent to the preliminary measure of quitting Besançon.







While the heiress of Mowbray Castle meditated how to escape thither from
the embarrassed and uneasy situation in which she now was; and while she
fancied that in retirement she might conceal, if she could not conquer,
her affection for Godolphin, (tho' in fact she only languished for an
opportunity of thinking of him perpetually without observation), Lady
Westhaven laid in wait for an occasion to try whether the ruined health
and altered looks of her brother, would not move, in his favour, her
tender and
