“I should think,” said Henry, as he vainly attempted to stir it round, “that a little wine would be more to the purpose than this stuff.”

The aunts looked at each other; and, withdrawing to a corner, a whispering consultation took place, in which Lady Maclaughlan’s opinion, “birch, balm, currant, heating, cooling, running risks,” etc. etc., transpired.  At length the question was carried; and some tolerable sherry and a piece of very substantial shortbread were produced.

It was now voted by Miss Jacky, and carried nem. con. that her Ladyship ought to take a little repose till the hour of dinner.

“And don’t trouble to dress,” continued the considerate aunt, “for we are not very dressy here; and we are to be quite a charming family party, nobody but ourselves; and,” turning to her nephew, “your brother and his wife.  She is a most superior woman, though she has rather too many of her English prejudices yet to be all we could wish; but I have no doubt, when she has lived a little longer amongst us, she will just become one of ourselves.”

“I forget who she was,” said Douglas.

“A grand-daughter of Sir Duncan Malcolm’s, a very old family of the
--------- blood, and nearly allied to the present Earl.  And here they
come,” exclaimed she, on hearing the sound of a carriage; and all rushed
out to receive them.

“Let us have a glimpse of this scion from a noble stock,” said Lady Juliana, mimicking the accent of the poor spinsters, as she rose and ran to the window.

“Good heavens, Henry! do come and behold this equipage;” and she laughed with childish glee as she pointed to a plain, old-fashioned whisky, with a large top.  A tall handsome young man now alighted, and lifted out a female figure, so enveloped in a cloak that eyes less penetrating than Lady Juliana’s could not, at a single glance, have discovered her to be a “frightful quiz.”

“Only conceive the effect of this dashing equipage in Bond Street!” continued she, redoubling her mirth at the bright idea; then suddenly stopping, and sighing—­

“Ah, my pretty vis-a-vis! I remember the first time I saw you, Henry, I was in it at a review;” and she sighed still deeper.

“True; I was then aid-de-camp to your handsome lover, the Duke of
L----------.”

“Perhaps I might think him handsome now.  People’s tastes alter according to circumstances.”

“Yours must have undergone a wonderful revolution, if you can find charms in a hunchback of fifty three.”

“He is not a hunchback,” returned her Ladyship warmly; “only a little high shouldered; but at any rate he has the most beautiful place and the finest house in England.”

Douglas saw the storm gathering on the brow of his capricious wife, and clasping her in his arms, “Are you indeed so changed, my Julia, that you have forgot the time when you used to declare you would prefer a desert with your Henry to a throne with another.”