Melvill was not long in perceiving that public opinion was very strong against her and Lord Hovingham. All his relations deserted him, some inventing trifling excuses for not availing themselves of his proffered hospitality, others openly giving reason for their rupture. Not a lady in the neighbourhood would visit Miss Melvill, and those that had formerly known. her only gave her a formal curtsy. Vicar of the parish had appealed to his patron to put an end to the scandal by restoring Lady Hovingham to her former position, and no longer to allow Miss Melvil to reign paramount in his house. The A certain number of young men from London continued to visit at Riversdale, giving as their reason, that, after all, Hovingham was not worse than his neighbour, that Miss Melvill was "a jolly girl," and that if she had got into a mess, so long as she was clever enough not to be found out, what signified; while others gave a truer reason, namely, that Hovingham's cook was a Cordon bleu, that his wine was faultless, that his covers were well stocked with game, and that a pack of hounds were within an easy distance. One young fellow, when told he ought to stand by the weaker sex and show his abhorrence of Hovingham's conduct by dropping his acquaintance, replied "I never mix myself up with family broils, and as the shooting at Riversdale is No. 1, letter A, the cook equal to Francatelli, and the champagne and claret the best Kingscote and Chapman can furnish, I shall nail my colours to the mast and stick to the ship." We must now return to the Cliffords who were much occupied in discussing two important affairs, one as to the day upon which Harry Northam was to be united to Sophy Clifford this was being carried on between the heads of the family-the other was the preparation of the trousseau, which occupied the attention of the young lady and her female friends. While thus occupied the letters and newspapers were brought in and a rush made for the Morning Post. "Why, what do I see?" cried Sophia, turning pale as death. "It cannot be true." "Let me have the paper," said Mr. Clifford." In the meantime Sophia, with tears in her eyes had left the room. "Read it, my dear," exclaimed Mrs. Clifford. "We understand that Lord Hovingham has commenced proceedings in the Divorce Court; Lady Hovingham and Captain H. Northam, co-respondent." "I'll not believe it," continued Mrs. Clifford, "for a purer creature than Lady Hovingham never existed, and Northam is the soul of honour." A letter from Northam declaring his innocence, but confirming the report, put an end to the preparations for his marriage. Sophia, though loath to believe that the object on whom she had garnered up her soul was guilty of such treachery, tried in vain to drive from her mind the most painful misgivings. Upon more than one occasion Miss Melvill had raised her jealousy by hints as to Harry Northam's constancy, and innuendoes respecting his devotion to Lady Hovingham; when a letter, most ingeniously worded, in which Joanna in the most hypocritical terms expressed her heartfelt regret that the evidence against Lady Hovingham was conclusive, seemed to confirm the fatal news Miss Melvill added "Poor Frank is wretched. He would have saved his wife this exposure had it not been for the fact that for many years her name has been mixed up with that of Captain Northam, unknown to him, but also too well known in the county." CHAPTER IX. Fair Queen of Lakes neglected long, And while I cast my eyes around, The well-mark'd scenes his tale renew, PARSONS. MISFORTUNES seldom come singly, and this truism was fully realised in the person of the ill-fated Margaret Hovingham. Time, which does wonders, had in some degree roused her from the lethargy in which the cruel conduct of her husband had placed her, and she was more herself when a telegram announced to her the severe illness of her |