Mr. Percival for a fortnight.
Part of this time he determined to employ in seeing Headly, who did not
live above thirty miles from thence; hoping from him to obtain
intelligence of Emmeline's abode. And that no suspicion might remain on
the mind of his father, he affected to reassume his usual gaiety, and
was to all appearance as volatile and dissipated as ever.

While the family were in Norfolk, their acquaintance was warmly renewed
with that of Sir Francis Devereux, who was lately returned from a
residence on the Continent, whither he had been to compleat the
education of his two daughters, heiresses to his fortune, on the
embellishment of whose persons and manners all the modern elegancies of
education had been lavished.

They were rather pretty women; and of a family almost as ancient and
illustrious as that of Mr. Delamere. Their fortunes were to be immense;
and either of them would have been a wife for Delamere, the choice of
whom would greatly have gratified the families on both sides.

Infinite pains were taken to bring the young people frequently together;
and both the ladies seemed to allow that Delamere was a conquest worthy
their ambition.

As he never refused to entertain them with every appearance of gallantry
and vivacity, Lord Montreville flattered himself that at length Emmeline
was forgotten; and ventured to propose to his son, a marriage with
whichever of the Miss Devereux's he should prefer.

To which, Delamere, who had long foreseen the proposal, answered coldly,
'that he was not inclined to marry at all; or if he did, it should not
be one of those over-educated puppets.'

So far were their acquisitions from having made any impression on his
heart, that the frivolous turn of their minds, the studied ornaments of
their persons, and the affected refinement of their manners, made him
only recollect with more passionate admiration, that native elegance of
person and mind which he had seen only in the Orphan of Mowbray Castle.







There was, in the person and manner of Emmeline, something so
interesting, that those who were little accustomed to attach themselves
to any one, were insensibly disposed to love her, and to become
solicitous for her welfare.

Even the insensibility with which long and uninterrupted prosperity had
encased the heart of Lord Montreville, was not entirely proof against
her attractive powers; and when he no longer apprehended the effect of
her encreasing charms on his son, he suffered himself to feel a degree
of pity and even of affection for her.

He therefore heard with pleasure that she was contented in her present
situation; and was convinced she had