"Charles!" called out Mrs. Aubrey; who had watched the whole affair, and could hardly keep her countenance--"come hither directly, Charles!" "Yes, mamma!" he exclaimed--quite unaware of the serious aspect which things were assuming--and without quitting the dance, where he was (as his jealous mistress too plainly saw, for, despite her grief, her eye seemed to follow all his motions) skipping about with infinite glee with a _third_ partner--a laughing sister of her for whom he had quitted Lady Anne. "Do you hear your mamma, Charles!" said Mr. Aubrey, somewhat peremptorily; and in an instant his little son, all flushed and breathless, was at his side. "Well, dear papa!" said he, keeping his eye fixed on the merry throng he had just quitted, and where his deserted partner was skipping about alone. "What have you been doing to Lady Anne, Charles?" said his father. "Nothing, dear papa!" he replied, still wistfully eying the dancers. "You know you left me, and went to dance with Miss Berton; you did, Charles!" said the offended beauty, sobbing. "That is not behaving like a little gentleman, Charles," said his father. The tears came to the child's eyes. "I'm _very_ sorry, dear papa, I _will_ dance with her." "No, not now," said Lady Anne, haughtily. "Oh, pooh! pooh!--kiss and be friends," said Mrs. Aubrey, laughing, "and go and dance as prettily as you were doing before." Little Aubrey put his arms around Lady Anne, kissed her, and away they both started to the dance again. While the latter part of this scene was going on, Mr. Aubrey's eye caught the figure of a servant who simply made his appearance at the door and then retired, (for such had been Mr. Aubrey's orders, in the event of any messenger arriving from Grilston.) Hastily whispering that he should speedily return, he left the room. In the hall stood a clerk from Mr. Parkinson; and on seeing Mr. Aubrey, he took out a packet and retired--Mr. Aubrey, with evident trepidation, repairing to his library. With a nervous hand he broke the seal, and found the following letter from Mr. Parkinson, with three other enclosures:-- "_Grilston, 12th Jan. 18--._ "MY DEAR SIR,