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42
ETHEL CHURCHILL.

of their own. Lord Norbourne wished to stay with the party till his nephew arrived, fully intending then to monopolise Lord Marchmont, and thus to leave Ethel to Courtenaye. Lady Marchmont wished to have a nearer view of a singularly handsome young man, who seemed perfectly lost in the admiration she inspired. His appearance was very distinguished, and yet she did not know him: he must be new to society, to give way to any feeling so openly and so naively. The crowd had carried him forcibly with them; and Henrietta found that she had a sudden curiosity to inspect a gum cistus which was blowing at the end of the walk. The result of her inspection was not quite satisfactory, for the stranger had disappeared. But the next crowded walk turned out better: again she beheld those dark and eloquent eyes fixed upon herself, as if unconscious of any thing else in the world. A knot of acquaintances shut him out from sight, and Henrietta had never before thought it so tiresome to listen to news and flattery. Lord Norbourne was the next person detained; but