CHAPTER VII.

"Now, fair Hippolita, our nuptial hour

Draws on apace.

SHAKSPEARE.

ON the morning of the long expected birthday the neighbouring nobility and gentry came pouring into the park, and carriage after carriage drove up to the portico of the Duke of Lavandale's splendid mansion.

The company were received by the duke's sister, the Marchioness of Toronto, and her husband the marquis; his grace himself, rather to the surprise of the assembled throng, not having yet shown himself.

Amongst the earliest arrivals the dowager Lady Aberayron and Miss Barrett were conspicuous; they were accompanied by their

shadows, Mademoiselle Didier and Count Pi

quette.

The countess, fearing that the duke, who she thought had been very remiss in his attentions of late, might, now that she was removed to town, forget to renew his former pressing invitations to her daughter and herself, wrote to request that she might bring her two satellites with her. This was intended as a reminder. The request was most politely granted, and on the long wished for day the party arrived, the countess and Miss Barrett arrayed in all their smiles. They were much pleased at perceiving that neither Lady Melton nor her two nieces were present, and their hopes, which had been in some measure damped by the want of fervour in the duke for some time past, began to revive. It was evident, they thought, that the cousins were still at variance. Their reconciliation, and a consequent explanation, were all that the two intriguers had to dread. His grace had never once mentioned the names of the Ladies Clareville to the countess or Miss Barrett since their departure; they

therefore imagined that every thing was safe in that quarter.

While these two persons were settling this matter to their entire satisfaction, the firing of cannon, the hurrahs of the populace in the park, and a multitude of voices crying, "The duke, the duke," caused a rush towards the windows, near one of which the Countess of Aberayron and Miss Barrett were seated.

Three superb carriages and four, with outriders in the Lavandale livery, drove up to the portico, where stood the Marquis and Marchioness of Toronto, with some select friends, to receive the evidently expected guests.

From the first carriage alighted the Duke of Lavandale, handing out a lovely girl dressed in virgin white; this was no other than Lady Geraldine Clareville. The second carriage contained the Ladies Melton and Caroline Clareville, and her brother the earl. The third carriage was occupied by Mrs. Tomkins, myself, and another female attendant.

The duke, passing through the noble hall and up the grand staircase, leading his beauti

ful and blushing cousin by the hand, reached at length the saloon, where all his principal guests were assembled.

He there introduced to them the mistress of his home and heart, the Duchess of Lavandale.

With the exception of the artful countess and her profligate daughter, there was probably not one in the collected crowd who did not, from their hearts, wish the noble couple every happiness this world could bestow. Very few were surprised at an event, which all the most intimate friends of the duke knew had been on the tapis for many years.

The feelings of surprise, disappointment, indignation, and rage, which overwhelmed the two wicked and plotting females, cannot be described nor felt, except by those who have, like them, been base deceivers, and baffled in spite of all their cunning.

I will leave them for awhile, to speak on a pleasanter theme.

The marriage of the duke and duchess was performed at Clareville Castle the morning of

his grace's birthday, and after breakfast the bridal party started for the duke's mansion, and arrived, as I have before stated, just after the company had all assembled. A superb dejeuner à la fourchette was served up in the magnificent dining rooms; the duke sitting at the head of the table with his lovely bride at his side.

As soon as the repast was ended, his grace, rising, thanked his friends for the affectionate kindness they had shown him, and entreated their pardon for absenting himself for the remainder of the day, as his duchess and himself proposed setting off in about an hour for the villa of the Marquis of Toronto, en route to his own castle in the north of England, where he and his bride meant to pass the honey-moon. His sister, the marchioness, had, he said, kindly promised to do the honours during the absence of himself and the duchess; and he hoped his friends would favour him by partaking of the festivities, which were to continue a fortnight.

The carriages were ordered, and the duke