aunt, and blushing lest he should hear her, returned his courtesy with an inclination of her head; and the Major after shaking Mr. Davenant's offered hand, rode away, followed by his groom. CHAPTER XIII. Pray you, bid These unknown friends to us welcome: for it is FRIDAY the expected Friday-at length came, and the little party prepared to set out for the Grange; Mrs. Davenant dressed in her gayest costume, Mr. Davenant almost a beau, and Eliza elegantly attired. A slight rain had fallen in the morning, which had not improved the roads; and Mrs. Davenant was exhorting Eliza to change her thin shoes for thick ones, when her attention was diverted from the subject by the sound of carriage wheels. "Who in the world can it be! Gracious me! only think, it's Sir Archibald Douglas's carriage! and I'll be bound it's sent to fetch us there! What a charming, obliging, thoughtful man, that Major is! I'll be bound it's all his own doing! Only think!" Mrs. Davenant was right. The Major had indeed sent his uncle's carriage to bring their guests to the Grange; and this obliging attention to their accommodation was gratefully felt by the whole party. On their arrival they found the Major standing under the portico: the whole party could not help being struck with. the difference of his appearance; when they had before seen him, he was dressed only as a private gentleman, but now, in compliment to his visitors, he was in regimentals. Eliza tacitly acknowledged how admirable was the resemblance she had seen at the Exhibition. If the delineation was before striking, it was now doubly 50 : it seemed as if the canvass had breathed, and the portrait walked down from the frame. While these thoughts were passing in her mind, Major Douglas advanced to hand them out of the carriage. "I am happy to welcome you to Douglas Grange," he said, as he offered Mrs. Davenant his arm to assist her in all here. alighting; "I am truly happy to see you So, Miss Massenburg, you disdain my aid," added he, on turning to assist Eliza out, who had followed her aunt without assistance. "But favour me with your hand, and allow me to lead you in, for your uncle has left us talking here, and you see is very gallantly handing Mrs. Davenant along." The Major led them through a spacious hall, into a handsome room, in which Sir Archibald was waiting to receive them. Sir Archibald Douglas was gentlemanly and polite the ruling feeling of his mind was love for his nephew; he was the being in the world dearest to his heart, and he regarded him with all the pride of admiring affection: the next strongest passion that swayed him, was pride the pride of birth-the pride of integrity of honour. He looked for ward to the time when his nephew would make choice of some amiable female, as a companion for life, with eager solicitude; for he was anxious to perpetuate the family honours; and if the woman of his choice only possessed respectability of birth, and was of a family of unimpeached character, to riches he was indifferent. This object was the one nearest his heart, and one in which he was warmly joined by his brother Douglas. As soon as he heard that his nephew was coming to visit him at Douglas Grange, he wrote an invitation to a family consisting of one son, an unmarried daughter, and their parents; he had received a favourable answer, and they were expected to arrive on the day our party made their introductory visit. It was with the hope that his nephew would not remain blind to the charms of the |