'Mistake, dearest! none,' said my
mother. 'None; none in the world. Judge
for yourself; read this, my love.' And she
placed in my hand a letter, addressed to
herself, the seal of which was broken. I
read it through with no small surprise.
After some very fine complimentary flourishes
upon my beauty and perfections, as
also upon the antiquity and high reputation
of our family, it went on to make a
formal proposal of marriage, to be
communicated or not to me at present, as my
mother should deem expedient; and the
letter wound up by a request that the writer
might be permitted, upon our return to
Ashtown House, which was soon to take
place, as the spring was now tolerably
advanced, to visit us for a few days, in case
his suit was approved.

'Well, well, my dear,' said my mother,
impatiently; 'do you know who Lord
Glenfallen is?'

'I do, madam,' said I rather timidly, for
I dreaded an altercation with my mother.

'Well, dear, and what frightens you?'
continued she. 'Are you afraid of a title?
What has he done to alarm you? he is