last hour and a half. Lucy had
come in once to beg that Lady Fawn might be told directly she came
in. "She said you were to send for her, mamma," said Lydia.

"But it's dinner-time, my dear. What are we to do with Mr.
Greystock?"

"Ask him to lunch, of course," said Amelia.

"I suppose it's all right," said Lady Fawn.

"I'm quite sure it's all right," said Nina.

"What did she say to you, Lydia?" asked the mother.

"She was as happy as ever she could be," said Lydia. "There's no
doubt about its being all right, mamma. She looked just as she did
when she got the letter from him before."

"I hope she managed to change her frock," said Augusta.

"She didn't then," said Cecilia.

"I don't suppose he cares one halfpenny about her frock," said Nina.
"I should never think about a man's coat if I was in love."

"Nina, you shouldn't talk in that way," said Augusta. Whereupon Nina
made a face behind one of her sisters' backs. Poor Augusta was never
allowed to be a prophetess among them.

The consultation was ended by a decision in accordance with which
Nina went as an ambassador to the lovers. Lady Fawn sent her
compliments to Mr. Greystock, and hoped he would come in to lunch.
Lucy must come in to dinner, because dinner was ready. "And mamma
wants to see you just for a minute," added Nina, in a pretended
whisper.

"Oh, Nina, you darling girl!" said Lucy, kissing her young friend in
an ecstasy of joy.

"It's all right?" asked Nina in a whisper which was really intended
for privacy. Lucy did not answer the question otherwise than by
another kiss.

Frank Greystock was, of course, obliged to take his seat at the
table, and was entertained with a profusion of civility. Everybody
knew that he had behaved badly to Lucy,--everybody, except Lucy
herself, who, from this time forward, altogether forgot that she had
for some time looked upon him as a traitor, and had made up her mind
that she had been deceived and ill-used. All the Fawns had spoken
of him, in Lucy's absence, in the hardest terms of reproach, and
declared that he was not fit to be spoken to by any decent person.
Lady Fawn had known from the first that such a one as he was not to
be trusted. Augusta had never liked him. Amelia had feared that poor
Lucy Morris had been unwise, and too ambitious. Georgina had seen
that, of course, it would never do. Diana had sworn that it was a
great shame. Lydia was sure that Lucy was a great deal too good for
him. Cecili