It must be admitted, also, that Lord Sherbrooke did not take the means to put his father more at ease.  To Lady Laura he paid no attention whatsoever, devoted himself during the greater part of the evening to a beautiful woman of not the most pure and unsullied character in the world, and showed himself disposed to flirt with everybody, except the very person to whom his father wished him to pay court.  The dinner party was followed by an entertainment in the evening; and still the same scene went on; till at length the Earl came round to Wilton, and said, in a low voice, “I wish, my dear young gentleman, you would try your influence upon Sherbrooke.”

The Earl was going on, but Wilton rose immediately, saying, “I understand you, my lord,” and approaching the place where Lord Sherbrooke was seated, he waited till the laughter which was going on around him was over, and then said in a low voice, “For pity’s sake, Sherbrooke, and for decency’s sake, do pay some attention to the Duke and his daughter; remember, they are new guests of your father’s, and merit, at all events, some respect.”

The young Lord looked up in his friend’s countenance with a malicious smile, replying, “They do, my dear Wilton, they do! and you see I keep at a respectful distance.  But I will do anything to please.”

He accordingly rose from his seat, and Wilton saw him first approach the Duke, speak a few words to him, and then take a seat beside Lady Laura.  Her air was evidently cold and reserved, but what passed more, Wilton, of course, did not know.  The young lord, however, seemed suddenly struck by something that she said, turned quickly towards her, and made a rejoinder; she answered, apparently, with perfect calmness.  But the instant after, Lord Sherbrooke rose from his chair, made her a low bow, and was crossing the room.  His father, however, met him half-way, and they spoke for a moment or two.  The Earl’s cheek became very red, and his brow contracted; but Lord Sherbrooke passed quietly on, and came up to where Wilton stood.

“She has just told me what she thinks of my character, Wilton,” said the young nobleman, “and I have transmitted the same to my father, who must settle the matter with the Duke as he likes.”

“The Earl’s plans are certainly in a prosperous condition,” thought Wilton; and though he could not, of course, approve of the unceremonious means which Lord Sherbrooke took to defeat his father’s intentions, and to cast the burden of refusal on Lady Laura, yet he could not grieve, it must be admitted, that she should determining for herself.

During the whole evening her conduct towards Wilton Brown had been exactly what he had expected—­kind, gentle, and courteous.  She evidently treated him more as a friend than any one else in the room; and though he purposely spoke to her but seldom, and then merely with the terms of formal respect, yet whenever he did approach her, she greeted him with a smile, which showed that his society was not at all unpleasant to her.