favourite songs—they were her favourites also. He was not aware how carefully Lady Rotheles had noted his preference, and that Henrietta had the list by heart.
That night poor Mary sought her pillow with a pale cheek and a tearful eye, and that night was but the herald of many others. His caution aroused, though in the wrong quarter; his vanity flattered, and his evenings amused, Lord Allerton gave in to the snare with a readiness beyond even their most sanguine hopes. A few day's neglect made Mary shrink from even speaking to him—a shyness increased by her mother's reproaches.
As soon as the duke vanished, and gave no sign of being more interested in Miss Granard than in the thousand and one pretty girls that were daily forced upon his notice, Lady Anne referred to Lord Allerton. To her great surprise, she found him completely engrossed with Miss Aubrey, who immediately became with her "that odious and artful girl." Moreover, she declared it was all Mary's fault, and tortured her with perpetual wonder as to what could be the cause.
Mary, diffident of herself to the last degree, could only set it down to Henrietta's superior charms; but bitter within her was the wonder at such change. True, Lord Allerton had not committed himself by a positive declaration; but how often had he conveyed, by a look or by a word, that she was beloved! Mary had been too happy to look forward; for the first time since her poor father's death, she had felt loved and valued. It
