Page:Duty and Inclination. Volume 3.pdf/16

14 Scarcely had she finished speaking, when the General, entering from his morning's walk, accosted his daughters with an air of pleasure, telling them that he had accidentally met with a former acquaintance, a gentleman whom he doubted not they would be very glad to see, for which reason he had invited him to come and spend the evening with them. Oriana felt assured it could not be Philimore, and to any other visitor she felt indifferent.

"Who can he be?" exclaimed Rosilia.

"Who but Frederic Valpée," replied the General; "and, my dear children, you have each of you my carte blanche for setting your caps at him, and rendering yourselves as agreeable as you please, for I assure you the happy girl whom Frederic Valpée selects for his bride will be the envy of many a fair nymph, possessing as he does every advantage which youth, a handsome person, fortune, title in reserve, graceful and amiable manners can possibly bestow; rejoiced indeed should I be to obtain a son-in-law of such worth, so highly estimable in every respect."

There was a time when the heart of Oriana would most fervently have acknowledged and beat in unison to the merited encomiums of Frederic Valpée; but now that heart was no longer in her own possession. He might still claim her esteem, but her affections were otherwise disposed of. She recollected the flattering homage he had paid to her musical talents during the time which had fleeted so pleasantly away while celebrating his birthday, the preference by