In the third place, Mrs. Beaumont wished to marry her own son to Miss Hunter, who was Sir John’s sister by a second marriage, and above twenty years younger than he was: this lady was preferred to Miss Walsingham for a daughter-in-law, for the reasons which Mr. Walsingham had given; because she possessed an independent fortune of two hundred thousand pounds, and because she was so childish and silly that Mrs. Beaumont thought she could always manage her easily, and by this means retain power over her son. Miss Hunter was very pretty, and Mrs. Beaumont had observed that her son had sometimes been struck with her beauty sufficiently to give hopes that, by proper management, he might be diverted from his serious, sober preference of Miss Walsingham. Mrs. Beaumont foresaw many difficulties in the execution of these plans. She knew that Amelia liked Captain Walsingham, and that Captain Walsingham was attached to her, though he had never declared his love: and she dreaded that Captain Walsingham, who was at this time at sea, should return, just whilst Mr. Palmer was with her; because she was well aware that the captain was a kind of man Mr. Palmer would infinitely prefer to Sir John Hunter. Indeed, she had been secretly informed that Mr. Palmer hated every one who had a title; therefore she could not, whilst he was with her, openly encourage Sir John Hunter in his addresses to Amelia. To conciliate these seemingly incompatible schemes, she determined----But let our heroine speak for herself. “My dearest Miss Hunter,” said she, “now we are by ourselves, let me open my mind to you; I have been watching for an opportunity these two days, but so hurried as I have been!--Where’s Amelia?” “Out walking, ma’am. She told me you begged her to walk to get rid of her head-ache; and that she might look well to-day, as Mr. Palmer is to come. I would not go with her, because you whispered to me at breakfast that you had something very particular to say to me.” “But you did not give _that_ as a reason, I hope! Surely you didn’t tell Amelia that I had something particular to say to you?” “Oh, no, ma’am; I told her that I had something to do about my dress--and so I had--my new hat to try on.” “True, my love; quite right; for you know I wouldn’t have her suspect that we had any thing to say to each other that we didn’t wish her to hear, especially as it is about herself.” “Herself!--Oh, is it?” said Miss Hunter, in a tone of disappointment. “And about you, too, my darling. Be assured I have no daughter I love better, or ever shall. With such a son as I have, and such a daughter-in-law as I hope and trust I shall have ere long, I shall think myself the most fortunate of mothers.”