And Emmeline was right in her conjectures. Under pretence of business, and attendance at the House of Commons, he was so constantly from home, that they rarely met. Their hours, too, were different; breakfast was no longer a certain moment for meeting; for, as it would now have obliged them to a daily _tête-à-tête_, it was brought to them in their separate apartments. During the morning, therefore, it was only by accident that they were ever together. Fitzhenry rarely dined at home, except when there was company; and, of course, living so much apart, Emmeline did not even know what his evening engagements were; and often they met by chance, for the first time, during forty-eight hours, in some distant place of amusement. If then he chanced to give her a look of kind recognition, poor Emmeline went home with her spirits raised, resolving to improve the advantage she fancied she had gained; but again, forty-eight hours passed in the same manner, and, perhaps, if then again they accidentally met, he would scarcely notice her. Thus deserted, she saw she must submit to endeavour to make to herself an independent existence; but it was a vain attempt when every thought, every feeling was with him. Lady Saville had offered herself as Emmeline’s _chaperon_, on her first entry into the world of London society, and she could not have had a better companion; for Lady Saville had just feeling enough to enable her to perform all her social duties without a shadow of blame, and even in her own set to obtain the character of being remarkably goodnatured;—but she had none of those refined sentiments, which could lead her to read and detect the emotions of Emmeline’s heart. Pre-occupation of mind, variation of spirits and complexion, on a look or word; all such symptoms of a stricken heart she attributed to mere physical causes; sometimes rallying Emmeline on her _vapeurs_, but generally too much amused and occupied herself to doubt her companion being equally so. Had that companion’s heart been gay and free as it was but a few months back, what attractions the world, into which she was now, for the first time, introduced, might have had for her! Emmeline’s beauty had much improved since her marriage, and even by her loss of happiness; for, in the place of the mere expression of youthful joy and good-humour, was a look of _sentiment_, almost of languor, over her whole countenance and person, that added inexpressibly to its charm, and gave additional effect to her own peculiarly bright smile, when it was sometimes for a moment recalled.