"Give me your blessing, dearest mother," she exclaimed, with an emotion her mother had never yet witnessed: "Bless me before I leave you, and pray that I may make a good wife to the stranger I am to marry." "I do indeed bless you, my good child; nor can I doubt that you will prove the virtuous wife that is a crown of glory to her husband. None of your race and lineage have failed, nor will you, my gentle daughter. Heaven bless you, and preserve you, my Winifred, to be an honour to your family and to your sex!" Amy Evans was surprised, when her young lady had closed the door of her sleeping-apartment, to see her suddenly throw herself into a chair and burst into convulsive sobs. She was greatly alarmed, and prescribed such simple nostrums for hysterics as occurred to her. She knelt by her side; she patted her lady's hands; she bathed her temples with distilled waters. "I am not ill, dear Amy! I shall be better in a moment; but--but, I am going to be married, Amy!" "Indeed, my lady! You do not say so? I hope it is to a worthy gentleman." "Oh, yes: my mother says he is in every respect most worthy, and was almost angry with me that I could doubt it." "And is he young?" "I think the word young escaped my mother's lips." "And handsome, I hope?" "Nay, of that I know nothing." "How! my lady, not know?" "I have never seen him, and these are questions it would not have been fitting for me to ask." "Oh! I thank my kind stars I am not a lady," exclaimed Amy, "to be married to some ugly old man one knows nothing of." "Alas! is he indeed old and ugly? Oh, Amy! would I were an humble country-girl! But," she added, after a moment's pause, with a gentle dignity and firmness of resolve--"but, being what I am, I must do that which my station requires. I must obey my mother, even though he may be as old and as disagreeable as you say." "Nay, my dear, dear lady, do not look so sad! I know not that he is old and ugly; I was only thinking it would be a sore trial to be married to some old stranger, when--when----" It was now Amy's turn to blush, and to look confused, for she was betrothed to the son of a tenant of the Duke of Powis's. "But with you, my lady, it is quite different. Who knows but your future husband may prove as dear to you, as--as--David is to me?" she added, half-blushing, but half-smiling also, for her engagement was an acknowledged thing. "Perhaps you may have seen him, Amy? He is a friend of my brother's,--the Earl of Nithsdale." "No, my sweet lady, I have never seen him; but the name is a marvellous well-sounding name; so do not look sorrowful, but hope for the best. If your lady mother has chosen him, and if your brother loves him, why should not you love him also?" "And the king, Amy--the king approves of him, and confides in him; and the king wishes for this union!"