Lord Ormersfield gave a quick, searching glance as he said,' James
Frost did not make use of our interest in this matter.'

'Jem never did. He and my aunt held back, and were unwilling to
oppose the Squire. They would have given it up, but for me. Father,
I never supposed you could be averse to my doing my utmost for Jem,
when all his prospects were at stake.'

'I should have imagined that James was too well aware of my
sentiments to allow it.'

What a cloud on the happy morning!

Louis eagerly exclaimed: 'James is the last person to be blamed! He
and my aunt were always trying to stop me, but I would not listen to
their scruples. I knew his happiness depended on his success, and I
worked for him, in spite of himself. If I did wrong, I can only be
very sorry; but I cannot readily believe that I transgressed by
setting the question before people in a right light. Only, whose
fault soever it was, it was not Jem's.'

Lord Ormersfield had not the heart to see one error in his son on
such a day as this, more especially as Mary peeped out behind the urn
to judge of his countenance, and he met her pleading eyes, swimming
in tears.

'No, I find no fault,' he kindly said. 'Young, ardent spirits may be
excused for outrunning the bounds that their elders might impose.
But you have not removed my amazement. James intending to marry on