Every attention he gave to Lady Tinemouth, every civility
he paid to Miss Egerton, or to any other lady whom he met at the
countess's, went like a dagger to her soul; and whenever she could
gain his ear in private, she generally made him sensible of her
misery, and his own unhappiness in being its cause, by reproaches
which too unequivocally proclaimed their source.
He now saw that she had given way to a reprehensible and headstrong
passion; and, allowing for the politeness which is due to the sex, he
tried, by an appearance of the most stubborn coldness, and an
obstinate perversity in shutting his apprehension against all her
speeches and actions, to stem a tide that threatened her with ruin.
Lady Tinemouth at least began to open her eyes to the perilous
situation of both her friends. Highly as she esteemed Thaddeus, she
knew not the extent of his integrity. She had lived too long near the
circle of the heir apparent, and had seen too many men from the
courts of the continent, to place much reliance on the firmness of a
single and unattached young man when assailed by rank, beauty and
love.
Alarmed at what might be the result of her observations, and fearing
to lose any time, she had that very evening in winch she expected
Thaddeus to supper drawn out of Lady Sara the unhappy state of her
heart.
The dreadful confession was made by her ladyship, with repeated
showers of tears, and in paroxysms of agony which pierced the
countess to the soul.
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