The intimacy subsisting between Ernest and young Sedley, and the hospitable reception Sir Everard always gave him, were sufficient pretexts and encouragements for rendering his visits both frequent and long. It was soon perceived by the whole party, that Ernest was by no means his principal inducement for coming so often. Sir Everard began to wink, and nod, and look sly whenever he saw him enter, or heard his name mentioned. The Bloombergs wished it had been the fate of / their daughter to attract so rich a prize. The daughter, perfectly at her ease about the matter, felt assured that if he did not propose, some other would; and predestined in her own mind to be married, never doubted that when her time came, a husband would as certainly present himself for her, as for her three elder sisters, and five cousins, who had all made good matches.

Lady Ormond was the person who had observed Sedley's assiduities with the most dissatisfaction. She had a little incipient project afloat in her mind, which it annoyed her extremely to perceive might be interfered with. Her wish was, to bring about a union between Ella and Ernest. They were both poor, it is true, and Ella's mother was ambitious; but Lady Ormond reflected that she had brought her husband a large fortune, a considerable part of which had, by settlement, been left at her own disposal to bequeath, if she had no children, to whomsoever she pleased. /

Ella, meanwhile, wholly unsuspicious of her aunt's secret designs, and sometimes shocked at the abrupt and ungracious manner in which she behaved to Mr. Sedley, exerted herself, in mere compassion, to show him more attention than she would otherwise have manifested.