"She has never," said Louisa, "even hinted at it to me; and to-night she is gone with Lady Penrhyn to the opera."
"I shall write again to-morrow, may I not?" asked Charles.
Louisa blushed, and that was answer enough. The following morning a letter was brought to Lady Anne, while she and Louisa were seated alone in the drawing-room. Miss Granard bent sedulously over her work-box, yet, with nervous quickness, her ear caught the breaking of the seal, the rustle of the unfolding, and then followed a deep silence while its contents were being read. Her heart throbbed so audibly, that she feared her mother must hear its beating. At length Lady Anne spoke. "This is the most amusing piece of impertinence. Fancy, my dear Louisa, Lady Penrhyn's brother, who she was telling me has behaved roost ungratefully to Lord Penrhyn—is the writer of this letter—and what do you think are its contents?"
There was something so discouraging in this exordium, that Louisa could not force herself into a reply.
"You will," continued her mother, "look still more surprised, when you hear that this young merchant, for such, it seems, he is, has the presumption to make you an offer, and this is the second letter I have received from him."
"He wrote before," exclaimed Louisa.
