 and esteem of which he had never
before been sensible: but his vanity was piqued at the coldness with
which she received his studied and delicate adulation; and, for the
first time in his life, he was obliged to acknowledge to himself, that
there might be a woman whose mind was superior to it's influence.

Not being disposed very tranquilly to submit to this mortifying
conviction, he became more anxious to secure that partiality from Mrs.
Stafford, which, since he found it so hard to acquire, became necessary
to his happiness; and, in the hope of obtaining it, he would probably
long have persisted, had not his attention been soon afterwards diverted
to another object.

It wanted only a few days of a month since Mrs. Stafford's letter was
dispatched to Lord Montreville. But the carelessness of the servant who
was left in charge of the house in Berkley-square was the only reason of
his not noticing it.

Immediately after the birth-day, his Lordship had quitted London on a
visit to a nobleman in Buckinghamshire, whither his son had attended
him, and where they parted. Delamere, under pretence of seeing his
friend Percival, really went into Berkshire; and Lord Montreville,
having insisted on Delamere's joining him at the house of Lady Mary
Otley, beyond Durham, where Lady Montreville and her two daughters were
already gone, set out himself for that place, where they intended to
pass the months of July and August. He had many friends to visit on the
road; and when his Lordship arrived there, he found all his letters had,
instead of following him as he had directed, been sent immediately
thither; and instead of finding his son, or an account of his intended
arrival, he had the mortification of reading Mrs. Stafford's
information.

Delamere had, indeed, passed a few days with Mr. Percival, and had
written to his father from thence; but he had also seen Headly, from
whom he had extorted the secret of Emmeline's residence.

Fitz-Edward, to whose sister Mr. Percival was lately married, had joined
Delamere at the house of his brother-in-law: and Delamere persisting in
his resolution of seeing Emmeline, had, without much difficulty,
prevailed on Fitz-Edward, (who had some weeks on his hands before he was
to join his regiment in Ireland, and who had no aversion to any plan
that looked like an intrigue) to accompany him.

They contrived to gain Mr. Percival: and Delamere, by inclosing letters
to him, which were forwarded to
