'
Letters and presents now flew about. Perfumed gloves, pocket
looking-glasses, elegant boxes, apricot paste, essences, and other small
wares arrived weekly from Paris; English jewellery still had the
preference, and was liberally bestowed; yet Mrs. Middleton, affected and
somewhat precise, accepted the gifts but did not seem to encourage the
giver.
The Count de Grammont, piqued, was beginning to turn his attention to
Miss Warmestre, one of the queen's maids of honour, a lively brunette,
and a contrast to the languid Mrs. Middleton; when, happily for him, a
beauty appeared on the scene, and attracted him, by higher qualities
than mere looks, to a real, fervent, and honourable attachment.
Amongst the few respected families of that period was that of Sir George
Hamilton, the fourth son of James, Earl of Abercorn, and of Mary,
grand-daughter of Walter, eleventh Earl of Ormond. Sir George had
distinguished himself during the Civil Wars: on the death of Charles I.
he had retired to France, but returned, after the Restoration, to
London, with a large family, all intelligent and beautiful.
From their relationship to the Ormond family, the Hamiltons were soon
installed in the first circles of fashion.
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