Mr.
Grahame, whose friendship with Mr.Hamilton would have and did render him most interested in the event, was at Paris when their engagement was first published, but his warmly-written letters to his friend proclaimed his intention of very soon returning to England, but till then entreating the young couple to accept his sincerest prayers and best wishes for their happiness, and warmly congratulated Mr.and Mrs.
Hamilton on the prospects of their child; but there was a sadness pervading his letters which gave them pain to note, for they knew too well the cause.
The letters of Mary Greville, too, added pleasure to the betrothed.
Informed by Herbert of both past and present events, St.Eval's long affection for Caroline, which he playfully hoped would solve the mystery of his not gratifying her wishes, and falling in love with Miss Manvers, Mary wrote with equal sportiveness, that she was quite satisfied with his choice, and pleased that his residence at Lago Guardia had enabled her to become so well acquainted with one about to be so nearly connected with her Herbert.
About a week or fortnight before Mr.Hamilton's intended return to Oakwood, Percy one morning received a letter which appeared to produce excessive agitation.

But as he evidently did not wish it remarked, no notice was taken, except by Herbert, to whom alone he had shown the letter, and who seemed equally interested, though not so much agitated by its contents.

To the anxious inquiries of his parents, if individual embarrassment or distress occasioned Percy's uneasiness, Herbert answered readily in the negative; that the letter informed them of the death of an unfortunate individual in whose fate both he and Percy had been most deeply interested.

Trusting in the well-known integrity of their sons, Mr.and Mrs.Hamilton inquired no farther, and dismissed the subject; but Percy did not rouse himself from his gloomy abstraction till startled by intelligence, which regard for his father's friend Grahame could not permit him to hear with calmness.
Two mornings after the receipt of that letter, as the family, which the addition of St.Eval, were sitting together after breakfast, ere they separated to the various avocations of the day, Lord Henry D'Este bustled in with a countenance expressive of something extraordinary.
"Have you heard the news ?" was his first eager exclamation.
"If we had, it would be no news," replied Emmeline, archly; "but we have heard nothing.

Papa has something else to do than to seek out news for me, ditto the Right Honourable Lord St.Eval.Percy has been suddenly converted into the spirit of gloom, and to Herbert it is in vain to look for gossip, so, for pity's sake, satisfy my curiosity." "Perhaps you will say I have been exciting it unnecessarily," he answered.