'Now, then, for the _denouement_!' thought Frances; but she had formed a little scheme for bringing this about, which she forthwith proceeded to put in execution. 'But, dear Henry,' she said, as, seated on the sofa hand in hand, they dilated on their present happiness and future plans--'dear Henry, there is one thing that has rather perplexed me, and does perplex me still, a little--do you know, I have been told you were engaged?' 'Indeed! Who told you that?' 'Well, I don't know; but I'm sure I heard it. It was said that you were engaged to Miss Seymour--the Miss Seymour that lives with Mrs Wentworth'---- 'Do you know her?' inquired Major Elliott, interrupting her. 'Yes, I do--a little.' 'Only a little?' 'Well, perhaps I may say I know her pretty well. Indeed, to confess the truth, I'm rather intimate with her.' 'That is extremely fortunate,' returned Major Elliott. 'Then you don't deny the engagement?' said Frances. 'Colonel Seymour, who was my father's friend and mine, very kindly expressed a wish, before he died, that, provided there was no objection on either side, his daughter and I should be married; but you see, my dearest Fanny, as there happens to be an objection on both sides, the scheme, however well meant, is defeated.' 'On both sides!' reiterated Frances with surprise. 'Yes; on both sides,' answered he smiling. 'But how do you know that, when you've never seen Miss Seymour--at least I thought you never had?' 'Neither have I; but I happen to know that she has not the slightest intention of taking me for her husband.' 'Oh,' said Frances, laughing at the recollection of her own violent antipathy to this irresistible man, who, after all, had taken her heart by storm--'I suppose you have somehow heard that she disliked the idea of being trammelled by an engagement to a person she never saw, and whom she had made up her mind she could not love; but remember, Henry, she has never seen you. How do you know that she might not have fallen in love with you at first sight?--as somebody else did,' she added playfully. 'Because, my dear little girl, she happens to be in love already. She did not wait to see me, but wisely gave away her heart when she met a man that pleased her.' 'But you're mistaken,' answered Frances, beginning to feel alarmed; 'you are indeed! I know Frances Seymour has no attachment. I know that till she saw you--I mean that--I am certain she has no attachment, nor ever had any.' 'Perhaps you are not altogether in her confidence.' 'O yes, I am indeed.' Major Elliott shook his head, and smiled significantly. 'Rely on it,' he said, 'that what I tell you is the fact; but you have probably not seen Miss Seymour very lately, which would sufficiently account for your ignorance of her secret. I am told that she is extremely handsome and charming, and that she sings divinely.'