WYLDER'S HAJVD.
55
So Chelford led Stanley Lake before the lady of the
castle. I thought of the " Fair Brunnisende," with the
captive knight in the hands of her seneschal before her,
and I fancied he said something of having found him tres-
passing in her town, and brought him up for judgment.
Whatever Lord Chelford said, Miss Brandon received it
very graciously, and even with a momentary smile. I
wonder she did not smile oftener, it became her so. But
her greeting to Captain Lake was more than usually haugh-
ty and frozen, and her features particularly proud and
pale.
"Shake hands with your cousin, my dear," said old
Lady Chelford, peremptorily. The little scene took place
close to her chair; and upon this stage direction the little
piece of by-play took place, and the young lady coldly
touched the Captain's hand, and passed on.
Young as he was, Stanley Lake was an old man of the
world, not to be disconcerted, and never saw more than
exactly suited him.
When Lord Chelford joined us, I perceived that Wylder
was in the room, and saw a very cordial greeting between
him and Lake. The Captain appeared quite easy and
cheerful: but Mark, I thought, notwithstanding his laugh-
ter and general jollity, was uncomfortable; and I saw liim
once or twice, when Stanley's eye was not upon him, glance
sharply on the young man with an uneasy and not very
friendly curiosity.
At dinner Lake was easy and amusing. That meal
passed off rather pleasantly; and when we joined the
ladies in the drawing-room, the good Vicar's enthusiastic
little wife came to meet us, in one of her honest little
raptures.
"Now, here's a thing worth your looking at! Did you
ever see anything so bee-utiful in your life? It is such a