Lady Aimwell did not think with the baronet that Spoonbill was a good fellow. Her ladyship was by no means pleased with Miss Glossop’s visit to the castle, and took no pains to conceal her dissatisfaction from the young lady. So that poor Arabella was in a great measure deprived of the pleasure which she would otherwise have enjoyed of talking of Lord Spoonbill’s politeness and good sense. But when the young lady was alone, her thoughts were most pleasingly occupied with a recollection of the gorgeous splendors of the great house. And so delightful had been the courteous and elegant politeness of Lord Spoonbill, that Mr Darnley the younger was eclipsed by the superior accomplishments of the son of the Earl of Smatterton. While Miss Glossop was wide awake, it was absolutely impossible for her to think of having captivated Lord Spoonbill; but when she was asleep, she dreamed of gorgeous palaces, and Spoonbills, and ladyships, and all that can raise the ambitious and aspiring hopes of a lover of magnificence and an admirer of rank. While Miss Glossop was wondering what Lord Spoonbill thought of her musical performances, his lordship was also wondering who the lady could be that had shewn off such ridiculously affected airs. But he soon forgot the matter, and the scene passed away from his mind’s eye, and he cared not who it might be. For his thoughts were occupied with other considerations, and his attention was directed towards Penelope Primrose. He staid within hour after hour, uncertain and unresolved what to do and how to proceed. He was fearful of presenting himself at the rectory at Smatterton, as he had doubts of the state of Penelope’s mind towards him; and he was unwilling to expose himself to a second refusal. He wished, if it could be accomplished, to learn the state of her affections by the intervention of a third person. Courting by proxy is not a good plan. Lord Spoonbill, however, was not the wisest man in the world, or he would not have adopted it. Colonel Crop was the second adviser and counsellor that he had chosen. He was not pleased with the counsel of his friend Erpingham, for that gentleman behaved rather too cavalierly to his lordship. But Colonel Crop was a much more humble and diffident man; and he only gave that advice which his lordship wished and desired him to give. Now though the colonel was a more agreeable counsellor than Erpingham, inasmuch as the colonel was more supple and complaisant, yet he was a stupid man withal and mightily clumsy, and he was by no means fit for any employment or occupation that needed a head. He was willing certainly, very willing to do anything that he might be ordered to do, but it was necessary for him to have his orders worded with great explicitness and fullness; for his own judgment or imagination could supply no deficiencies.