She knew not the man she had chosen for her husband; she disregarded the warnings she had heard.

Fatal delusion! she found, too late, the fate her will had woven was formed of knotty threads, the path that she had sought beset with thorns, from which she could not break.

No children blessed her lot, and it was better thus--for they would have found but little happiness.

The fate of Lord Alphingham's child, the little Agnes, was truly happy in her own innocence; she lived on for many years in ignorance of her real rank and the title of her father, under the careful guidance of that relative to whom her mother's last words had tenderly consigned her.
Mr.and Mrs.Hamilton remained but little longer in town; Caroline's _trousseau_ was quite completed, for but very few weeks now intervened ere her marriage.

Lady Gertrude had devoted herself to the young Earl, and remained with him superintending the improvements and embellishments of his beautiful estate, Castle Terryn, in the vicinity of the Tamar, on the Cornwall side, which was being prepared with the greatest taste and splendour.