‘My dear Hugh,’ said Mrs. Fitzmaurice, as her husband was quitting the room one morning after breakfast, ‘come back a moment; I have a favour to ask of you.’

‘What is it? What is it, Bess? I have an appointment with Jervis, and am in a great hurry; don't detain me, for I dare say you / only want to ask some trifle you might just as well order or buy without my interference.’

‘No, no; I neither want to buy or to order! I want to ask your leave to invite Ella to accompany us into Shropshire.’

‘With all my heart! Ella is a very pleasant girl, and I wish she may be induced to consent: but at such short notice, and at this gay time of the year, I very much doubt it.’

‘There is no reason to believe she will object; but – mamma – I fear mamma may make some difficulty.’

Mr. Fitzmaurice looked at his wife's ingenuous, but somewhat uneasy countenance, with a half-suppressed smile, and returning to his chair, said:

‘What put this scheme into your head, Bess? It seems to have occurred to you very suddenly.’

‘True; I had no thoughts of it when I / went to Mrs. Clare's last night; the London season is still at its height, and I concluded, Ella would like to enjoy another month of its gaieties; but the way in which I saw her drawn on to encourage – or, rather, to attract young Sedley.…’

‘Ah, I thought as much! But, dear Bess, let young Sedley shift for himself. He will either withstand the lures thrown out for him, or submit, with a good grace, to his fate, and turn out a very happy fellow.’