her
disentanglement: her snared nature in the toils would not permit her to reflect
on it further. She had never accurately perceived it: for the reason perhaps
that Willoughby had not been moving in his appeals: but, admitting the charge of
waywardness, she had come to terms with conscience, upon the understanding that
she was to perceive it and regret it and do penance for it by-and-by: - by
renouncing marriage altogether? How light a penance!
    In the morning, she went to Lætitia's room, knocked and had no answer.
    She was informed at the breakfast-table of Miss Dale's departure. The ladies
Eleanor and Isabel feared it to be a case of urgency at the cottage. No one had
seen Vernon, and Clara requested Colonel De Craye to walk over to the cottage
for news of Crossjay. He accepted the commission, simply to obey and be in her
service: assuring her, however, that there was no need to be disturbed about the
boy. He would have told her more, had not Dr. Middleton led her out.
    Sir Willoughby marked a lapse of ten minutes by his watch. His excellent
aunts had ventured a comment on his appearance, that frightened him lest he
himself should be the person to betray his astounding discomfiture. He regarded
his conduct as an act of madness, and Lætitia's as no less that of a madwoman -
happily mad! Very happily mad indeed! Her rejection of his ridiculously generous
proposal seemed to show an intervening hand in his favour, that sent her
distraught at the right moment. He entirely trusted her to be discreet; but she
was a miserable creature, who had lost the one last chance offered her by
Providence, and furnished him with a signal instance of the mediocrity of
woman's love.
    Time was flying. In a little while Mrs. Mountstuart would arrive. He could
not fence her without a design in his head; he was destitute of an armoury if he
had no scheme: he racked the brain only to succeed in rousing phantasmal
vapours. Her infernal Twice; would cease now to apply to Lætitia: it would be an
echo of Lady Busshe. Nay, were all in the secret, Thrice jilted! might become
the universal roar. And this, he reflected bitterly, of a man whom nothing but
duty to his line had arrested from being the most mischievous of his class with
women! Such is our reward for uprightness!
    At the expiration of fifteen minutes by his watch, he struck a knuckle on
the library-door. Dr. Middleton held it open to