ace."

"They took my money out of my desk, you know,--ever so much."

"Forty-three pounds," said Mrs. Carbuncle, who was, of course, well
instructed in all the details of the robbery.

"And I don't suppose you can guess what the autumn cost me at
Portray. The bills are only coming in now, and really they sometimes
so frighten me that I don't know what I shall do. Indeed, I haven't
got the money to spare."

"You'll have every penny of it back in six weeks," said Mrs.
Carbuncle, upon whose face a glow of anger was settling down. She
quite intended to make herself very disagreeable to her "dear Lady
Eustace" or her "dear Lizzie" if she did not get what she wanted;
and she knew very well how to do it. It must be owned that Lizzie
was afraid of the woman. It was almost impossible for her not to be
afraid of the people with whom she lived. There were so many things
against her;--so many sources of fear! "I am quite sure you won't
refuse me such a trifling favour as this," said Mrs. Carbuncle, with
the glow of anger reddening more and more upon her brow.

"I don't think I have so much at the bankers," said Lizzie.

"They'll let you overdraw,--just as much as you please. If the cheque
comes back that will be my look out." Lizzie had tried that game
before, and knew that the bankers would allow her to overdraw. "Come,
be a good friend and do it at once," said Mrs. Carbuncle.

"Perhaps I can manage a hundred and fifty," said Lizzie, trembling.
Mrs. Carbuncle fought hard for the greater sum; but at last consented
to take the less, and the cheque was written.

"This, of course, won't interfere with Lucinda's present," said Mrs.
Carbuncle,--"as we can make all this right by the horse and carriage
account." To this proposition, however, Lady Eustace made no answer.

Soon after lunch, at which meal Miss Roanoke did not show herself,
Lady Glencora Palliser was announced, and sat for about ten minutes
in the drawing-room. She had come, she said, especially to give the
Duke of Omnium's compliments to Lady Eustace, and to express a wish
on the part of the duke that the lost diamonds might be recovered.
"I doubt," said Lady Glencora, "whether there is any one in England
except professed jewellers who knows so much about diamonds as his
grace."

"Or who has so many," said Mrs. Carbuncle, smiling graciously.

"I don't know about that. I suppose there are family diamonds, though
I have never seen them. But he sympathises with you