Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. " Blanche," said the earl, as they passed through the park gates, and caught sight of the riding-party ascending a hill at some little distance, " I am afraid you have disappointed yourself to keep your promise with me. You wanted to go to Warhatn, I know: I wish you would have told me." Blanche laughed. " And made you uncomfortable and myself too, dear papa. I did want to go to Warham, certainly; but one day is as good as another, as far as seeing the country is concerned; and I had two reasons for not desiring to be with them to-day. One, that I liked the thought of a ride with you ; and the other, that I did not much fancy the party." "What, not Mrs. Cuthbert Grey! and, as your aunt calls him, that first-rate Lord Erlsmere ? " I like Mrs. Cuthbert Grey very well; not very much," said Blanche, hesitating. " I wish one could go through the world without judging people; but I have never liked her very much since—such a very little thing, I really am ashamed to mention it." "Well! since what? I can keep a secret," replied the earl, smiling. " Since I heard her talk so strictly against operas to Archdeacon Fanshawe, and found out afterwards that she always engages a box for the winter. It gave me a notion of her not being true. I don't think I could ever like a person very much who was not true. But I was not thinking of Mrs.Cuthbert Grey when I said I did not fancy the party." " Of Lord Erlsmere, then, perhaps ?" said the earl. " No, nor of Lord Erlsmere. I don't care about him, except that he is rather tiresome to talk to, and always asks me if I don't look forward to my first London season. But, papa, I do very much—I hope it is not wrong—I really dislike very much, indeed, to go without you or my aunt, when Adelaide and such a person as that...