Caroline’s heart, on receiving her father’s command to withdraw herself by degrees entirely from Lord Alphingham, was wrung with many bitter and contending feelings.  At first she reproached herself for having thus completely concealed her feelings, and, had she followed the impulse of nature, she would at once have thrown herself on her mother’s neck, and there confessed all, that she loved him; that she had long done so, and implore her not to check their intercourse without some more explicit reason:  but Annie’s evil influence had been too powerful.  She dreaded her reproaches on this want of confidence in herself, or what was still worse, her satirical smile at her ridiculous weakness, and then she remembered her mother’s displeasure at her former conduct, and dreaded a renewal of the same coldness, perhaps even increased control.  She determined, therefore, to wait till she had seen Annie; and that interview rendered her more miserable, excited still more her indignation against her parents and brother, and strengthened the feelings of devoted affection with which she fancied she regarded Lord Alphingham.  Annie’s continued notes confirmed these feelings; under the specious intention of soothing Caroline’s wounded pride, it was very easy for her to disguise her repeated insinuations of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton’s injustice and caprice towards the Viscount, and tyranny towards herself.  The veil she had thrown over Caroline’s sober judgment became thicker and more blinding, and Caroline could sometimes scarcely restrain even before her parents the indignation which so continually filled her heart.

Mrs. Hamilton was ignorant of the communications that were so constantly passing between Annie and her daughter, or she might perhaps have put a stop to them.  Caroline’s own maid, Fanny, had been persuaded to become the means of receiving and sending their intelligence in secret.  The conscience of the girl reproached her more than once, but the idea was so improbable that Miss Caroline could act improperly, that she continued faithful to her wishes, even against her better judgment.

Lord Alphingham’s ready penetration was puzzled at the change of manner in both Mr. Hamilton and his daughter.  The latter, he could easily perceive, was constrained to act thus, and his determination to release her from such thraldom became more strongly fixed within him.  He became as cold and reserved to her father as Mr. Hamilton had been to him; but his silent yet despairing glances ever turned towards Caroline, were, he felt assured, quite enough to rivet his influence more closely around her.  The following morning, as Annie had expected, the Viscount sought her to give vent to his fears about Caroline; his indignation against the unaccountable alteration in Mr. Hamilton’s manner.  What could have caused it?  He had ever acted honourably and nobly, openly marked his preference, and he had talked himself into a passion, before his companion offered to give him any advice or speak any comfort.