It would be doing Lord Kingsborough the highest injustice to suppose, that the business of the foregoing chapter, however anxious he was to see it completed, diverted his attention from making the necessary enquiries after Miss Faulkner, for he was really as assiduous in his researches for her as ever, but to as little purpose; and though he used every means for discovering her, he never could obtain the least intelligence concerning her, which gave him the greatest uneasiness. Miss Faulkner was not, however, so great a stranger to his Lordship's residence, as she was to the true sentiments of his heart; for a few days after his arrival in London she saw one of his servants pass by the house she lodged in, which put her into such a tremor and surprise, that she was almost ready to faint. The lady of the house observed it and kindly enquired into the cause: but though Miss Faulkner answered her evasively, she was resolved to know whether his Lordship was in town or not, and for that purpose would have pursued the servant immediately, and watch where he went to, but was so affected at his sudden appearance, apprehending he might be in quest of her, that she had not power to stir, till he was quite out of her sight. Convinced however that, if his Lordship was in town, she should see him in some of the public places of resort, she that very night went to both playhouses and to the opera, but could not observe him. She therefore went the next night to Drury Lane, and there beheld her dear Lord in one of the side boxes. She was now seated in the gallery, and although she was so anxious to get sight of Lord K, she by no means intended to speak to him, or that he should see her. She therefore set a proper person to watch him from the playhouse home, and by that means soon found, that Miss Johnson was in London, where she resided, and the splendid manner in which she was kept, all which confirmed her in the opinion, that his Lordship was attached to her in the strongest manner, and that she held him by the firmest bonds of affection.

            However mortifying this account was to Miss Faulkner, she had too much spirit, either to interrupt their enjoyment, or to upbraid Lord Kingsboroughh with his infidelity, and was resolved to bear it with fortitude and resignation. But as she had never seen Miss Johnson, she was now determined to indulge her curiosity, and, unfortunately for her, went to a house directly opposite to that lady's lodgings, the very morning she was to be married to Mr Fleming; where she waited her appearance with all that anxiety, agitation, and dread, which it is possible for a woman, in her situation, to entertain at the sight of her rival. Miss Faulkner had not been placed in the window opposite, above half an hour, when Miss Johnson appeared in all her charms and splendour, and dressed in the most costly and brilliant manner, as a bride. This was too much for Miss Faulkner to bear. She was ready to expire at the sight of this fatal beauty; and as her whole dress, as well as that of her servants, indicated her approaching nuptials, the doubted not, but Miss Johnson was on that very day to be made the happy Lady Kingsborough. But as we are generally very desirous to ascertain what, when proved, will give us the most poignant grief, she begged a servant belonging to the house she was in, to step over and ask one of her servants, if the lady was not going to be married; and being answered in the affirmative, the could not support the agonies of her soul any longer, but fainted into the arms of her informer, and relapsed so continually from one fit into another, that a physician was at length called, who pronounced her extremely ill; and ordering a chair, she was brought home to her lodgings, in a situation better conceived than described.

            On her return home she was instantly put into bed, where she remained upwards of three weeks in a violent fever, and most of the time delirious, so that there were very little hopes of her recovery, and although the gentlewoman, in whose house she was, had the greatest regard for her, and they had been extremely intimate, Miss Faulkner had never hinted to her the least part of her history, nor acquainted her with her circumstances, and Miss Faulkner having always dressed very plain, though genteelly, and having lived with the greatest frugality, her hostess concluded that her finances were much lower than they really were, and began to be under great apprehensions, lest she should die in her house, and that she should have the physician, apothecary, and the more dreadful train of undertakers to pay, besides losing the money due to her for board and lodging. She therefore impatiently waited an opportunity of finding Miss Faulkner sufficiently in her senses to be spoke to on such a subject, which she at length obtained, and with great delicacy and discretion asked her if she had got any money in her drawers, as she was quite exhausted by the great expense of her long illness. This reminded our suffering heroine of what she had before entirely forgot or neglected. She therefore immediately gave her keys to Mrs Preston, for that was the good woman's name, and desired she would take whatever she wanted out of her drawers.

            Mrs Preston had always behaved to Miss Faulkner with the greatest respect, and entertained a great esteem for her; but when she went to her drawers, in which the found very near 300l. besides some jewels of value, and very rich clothes, she was quite confounded, and began to suspect that Miss Faulkner was a person of distinction, who had met with some misfortunes, which induced her to live in that obscurity; and was confirmed in this opinion from some expressions of that young lady's during her illness, mentioning her dear Lord, and other corroborative circumstances; so that when the doctor next visited his patient, she desired him to double his assiduity, for that she was a person of more consequence than he imagined; and having put five guineas into his hand, he was more confirmed in the belief of what the good woman urged, than he could have been by the Archbishop of Canterbury, without the like proof of his sincerity and veracity.

            Whether this discovery contributed to the recovery of Miss Faulkner or not, we shall not determine; but certain it is, that Mrs Preston, as well as the doctor, afterwards attended with double diligence; and in less than a week, she was pronounced to be out of danger, though by no means perfectly recovered. It is now time to know what is become of Lord Kingsborough.

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