He was going to explain; but Miss Milner entered, and put an end to the discourse. She had been passing the whole morning at an auction, and had laid out near two hundred pounds in different things for which she had no one use, but bought them because they were said to be cheap—among the rest was a lot of books upon chemistry, and some Latin authors.
“Why, Madam,” cried Sandford, looking over the catalogue where her purchases were marked by a pencil, “do you know what you have done? You can’t read a word of these books.”
“Can’t I, Mr. Sandford? But I assure you that you will be very much pleased with them, when you see how elegantly they are bound.”
“My dear,” said Mrs. Horton, “why have you bought china? You and my Lord Elmwood have more now, than you have places to put them in.”
“Very true, Mrs. Horton—I forgot that—but then you know I can give these away.”
Lord Elmwood was in the room at the conclusion of this conversation——he shook his head and sighed.
“My Lord,” said she, “I have had a very agreeable morning; but I wished for you—if you had been with me, I should have bought a great many other things; but I did not like to appear unreasonable in your absence.”
Sandford fixed his inquisitive eyes upon Lord Elmwood, to observe his countenance—he smiled, but appeared thoughtful.
“And, oh! my Lord, I have bought you a present,” said she.
“I do not wish for a present, Miss Milner.”