"Nay we must longer kneel; I am a suitor." QUEEN KATHERINE. The Effinghams were soon regularly domesticated, and the usual civilities had been exchanged. Many of their old friends resumed their ancient intercourse, and some new acquaintances were made. The few first visits were, as usual, rather labored and formal; but things soon took their natural course, and, as the ease of country life was the aim of the family, the temporary little bustle was quickly forgotten. The dressing-room of Eve overlooked the lake, and, about a week after her arrival, she was seated in it enjoying that peculiarly lady-like luxury, which is to be found in the process of having another gently disposing of the hair. Annette wielded the comb, as usual, while Ann Sidley, who was unconsciously jealous that any one should be employed about her darling, even in this manner, though so long accustomed to it, busied herself in preparing the different articles of attire that she fancied her young mistress might be disposed to wear that morning. Grace was also in the room, having escaped from the hands of her own maid, in order to look into one of those books which professed to give an account of the extraction and families of the higher classes of Great Britain, a copy of which Eve happened to possess, among a large collection of books, _Allmanachs de Gotha_, Court Guides, and other similar works that she had found it convenient to possess as a traveller. "Ah! here it is," said Grace, in the eagerness of one who is suddenly successful after a long and vexatious search. "Here is what, coz?" Grace coloured, and she could have bitten her tongue for its indiscretion, but, too ingenuous to deceive, she reluctantly told the truth. "I was merely looking for the account of Sir George Templemore's family; it is awkward to be domesticated with one, of whose family we are utterly ignorant." "Have you found the name?" "Yes; I see he has two sisters, both of whom are married, and a brother who is in the Guards. But--" "But what, dear?" "His title is not so _very_ old." "The title of no Baronet _can_ be very old, the order having been instituted in the reign of James I." "I did not know that. His ancestor was created a baronet in 1701, I see. Now, Eve--" "Now, what, Grace?" "We are both--" Grace would not confine the remark to herself--"we are both of older families than this! You have even a much higher English extraction; and I think I can claim for the Van Cortlandts more antiquity than one that dates from 1701!" "No one doubts it, Grace; but what do you wish me to understand by this? Are we to insist on preceding Sir George, in going through a door?" Grace blushed to the eyes, and yet she laughed, involuntarily. "What nonsense! No one thinks of such things in America."