At length the ladies withdrew. Ferdinand attended them to the door of the dining-room. Lady Bellair shook her fan at him, but said nothing.

He pressed his mother's hand. 'Good-bye, cousin Ferdinand,' said Miss Grandison in a laughing tone. Henrietta smiled upon him as she pa.s.sed by. It was a speaking glance, and touched his heart. The gentlemen remained behind much longer than was the custom in Mr. Temple's house.

Everybody seemed resolved to drink a great deal of wine, and Mr. Temple always addressed himself to Ferdinand, if anything were required, in a manner which seemed to recognise, his responsible position in the family.

Anxious as Ferdinand was to escape to the drawing-room, he could not venture on the step. He longed to speak to Glas...o...b..ry on the subject which engrossed his thoughts, but he had not courage. Never did a man, who really believed himself the happiest and most fortunate person in the world, ever feel more awkward and more embarra.s.sed. Was his father aware of what had occurred? He could not decide. Apparently, Henrietta imagined that his mother did, by the observation which she had made at dinner. Then his father must be conscious of everything. Katherine must have told all. Were Lord Montfort's family in the secret? But what use were these perplexing enquiries? It was certain that Henrietta was to be his bride, and that Mr. Temple had sanctioned their alliance. There could be no doubt of that, or why was he there?

At length the gentlemen rose, and Ferdinand once more beheld Henrietta Temple. As he entered, she was crossing the room with some music in her hand, she was a moment alone. He stopped, he would have spoken, but his lips would not move.

'Well,' she said, 'are you happy?'

'My head wanders. a.s.sure me that it is all true,' he murmured in an agitated voice.

'It is all true; there, go and speak to Lady Armine. I am as nervous as you are.'

Ferdinand seated himself by his mother.

'Well, Ferdinand,' she said, 'I have heard wonderful things.'

'And I hope they have made you happy, mother?'

'I should, indeed, be both unreasonable and ungrateful if they did not; but I confess to you, my dear child, I am even as much astonished as gratified.'

'And my father, he knows everything?'

'Everything. But we have heard it only from Lord Montfort and Katherine.

We have had no communication with anyone else. And we meet here to-day in this extraordinary manner, and but for them we should be completely in the dark.'

'And the d.u.c.h.ess; do they know all?'

'I conclude so.'

''Tis very strange, is it not?'

'I am quite bewildered.'

'O mother! is she not beautiful? Do you not love her? Shall we not all be the happiest family in the world?'

'I think we ought to be, dear Ferdinand. But I have not recovered from my astonishment. Ah, my child, why did you not tell me when you were ill?'

'Is it not for the best that affairs should have taken the course they have done? But you must blame Kate as well as me; dear Kate!'

'I think of her,' said Lady Armine; 'I hope Kate will be happy.'

'She must be, dear mother; only think what an excellent person is Lord Montfort.'

'He is indeed an excellent person,' said Lady Armine; 'but if I had been engaged to you, Ferdinand, and it ended by my marrying Lord Montfort, I should be very disappointed.'

'The d.u.c.h.ess would be of a different opinion,' said Ferdinand.

Lady Bellair, who was sitting on a sofa opposite, and had hitherto been conversing with the d.u.c.h.ess, who had now quitted her and joined the musicians, began shaking her fan at Ferdinand in a manner which signified her extreme desire that he should approach her.

'Well, Lady Bellair,' said Ferdinand, seating himself by her side.

'I am in the secret, you know,' said her ladyship.

'What secret, Lady Bellair?'

'Ah! you will not commit yourself. Well, I like discretion. I have always seen it from the first. No one has worked for you as I have. I like true love, and I have left her all my china in my will.'

'I am sure the legatee is very fortunate, whoever she may be.'

'Ah, you rogue, you know very well whom I mean. You are saucy; you never had a warmer friend than myself. I always admired you; you have a great many good qualities and a great many bad ones. You always were a little saucy. But I like a little spice of sauciness; I think it takes. I hear you are great friends with Count Thingabob; the Count, whose grandfather I danced with seventy years ago. That is right; always have distinguished friends. Never have fools for friends; they are no use. I suppose he is in the secret too.'

'Really, Lady Bellair, I am in no secret. You quite excite my curiosity.'

'Well, I can't get anything out of you, I see that. However, it all happened at my house, that can't be denied. I tell you what I will do; I will give you all a dinner, and then the world will be quite certain that I made the match.'

Lady Armine joined them, and Ferdinand seized the opportunity of effecting his escape to the piano.

'I suppose Henrietta has found her voice again, now,' whispered Katherine to her cousin.

'Dear Katherine, really if you are so malicious, I shall punish you,'

said Ferdinand.

'Well, the comedy is nearly concluded. We shall join hands, and the curtain will drop.'

'And I hope, in your opinion, not an unsuccessful performance.'

'Why, I certainly cannot quarrel with the catastrophe,' said Miss Grandison.

In the meantime, the Count Mirabel had obtained possession of Mr.

Temple, and lost no opportunity of confirming every favourable view which that gentleman had been influenced by Lord Montfort to take of Ferdinand and his conduct. Mr. Temple was quite convinced that his daughter must be very happy, and that the alliance, on the whole, would be productive of every satisfaction that he had ever antic.i.p.ated.

The evening drew on; carriages were announced; guests retired; Ferdinand lingered; Mr. Temple was ushering Lady Bellair, the last guest, to her carriage; Ferdinand and Henrietta were alone. They looked at each other, their eyes met at the same moment, there was but one mode of satisfactorily terminating their mutual embarra.s.sments: they sprang into each other's arms. Ah, that was a moment of rapture, sweet, thrilling, rapid! There was no need of words, their souls vaulted over all petty explanations; upon her lips, her choice and trembling lips, he sealed his grat.i.tude and his devotion.

The sound of footsteps was heard, the agitated Henrietta made her escape by an opposite entrance. Mr. Temple returned, he met Captain Armine with his hat, and enquired whether Henrietta had retired; and when Ferdinand answered in the affirmative, wished him good-night, and begged him to breakfast with them to-morrow.

CHAPTER XXV.

_Which, Though Final, It Is Hoped Will Prove Satisfactory_.

OUR kind reader will easily comprehend that from the happy day we have just noticed, Ferdinand Armine was seldom absent from Grosvenor-square, or from the society of Henrietta Temple. Both were so happy that they soon overcame any little embarra.s.sment which their novel situation might first occasion them. In this effort, however, they were greatly encouraged by the calm demeanour of Lord Montfort and the complacent carriage of his intended bride. The world wondered and whispered, marvelled and hinted, but nothing disturbed Lord Montfort, and Katherine had the skill to silence raillery. Although it was settled that the respective marriages should take place as soon as possible, the settlements necessarily occasioned delay. By the application of his funded property, and by a charge upon his Yorkshire estates, Mr. Temple paid off the mortgages on Armine, which, with a certain life-charge in his own favour, was settled in strict entail upon the issue of his daughter. A certain portion of the income was to be set aside annually to complete the castle, and until that edifice was ready to receive them, Ferdinand and Henrietta were to live with Mr. Temple, princ.i.p.ally at Ducie, which Mr. Temple had now purchased.

In spite, however, of the lawyers, the eventful day at length arrived.

Both happy couples were married at the same time and in the same place, and Glas...o...b..ry performed the ceremony. Lord and Lady Montfort departed for a seat in Suss.e.x, belonging to his father; Ferdinand and Henrietta repaired to Armine; while Sir Ratcliffe and his lady paid a visit to Mr.

Temple in Yorkshire, and Glas...o...b..ry found himself once more in his old quarters in Lancashire with the duke and d.u.c.h.ess.