me I was his Queen, and he shall be my King. I will
be loyal to him always." To poor Lady Fawn this was very dreadful.
The girl persisted in declaring her love for the man, and yet did
not even pretend to think that the man meant to marry her! And this,
too, was Lucy Morris,--of whom Lady Fawn was accustomed to say to her
intimate friends that she had altogether ceased to look upon her as a
governess. "Just one of ourselves, Mrs. Winslow,--and almost as dear
as one of my own girls!" Thus, in the warmth of her heart, she had
described Lucy to a neighbour within the last week. Many more words
of wisdom she spoke, and then she left poor Lucy in no mood for
church. Would she have been in a better mood for the morning service
had she known of the letter in the iron post?

Then Lady Fawn had put on her bonnet and gone down into the hall, and
the "rumpus" had come. After that, everybody in the house knew that
all things were astray. When the girls came home from church, their
brother was gone. Half an hour before dinner Lady Fawn sent the
note up to Lizzie, with a message to say that they would dine at
three,--it being Sunday. Lizzie sent down word that as she was
unwell, she would ask to have just a cup of tea and "something" sent
to her own room. If Lady Fawn would allow her, she would remain
up-stairs with her child. She always made use of her child when
troubles came.

The afternoon was very sad and dreary. Lady Fawn had an interview
with Lady Eustace, but Lizzie altogether refused to listen to any
advice on the subject of the necklace. "It is an affair," she said
haughtily, "in which I must judge for myself,--or with the advice
of my own particular friends. Had Lord Fawn waited until we were
married; then indeed--!"

"But that would have been too late," said Lady Fawn severely.

"He is, at any rate, premature now in laying his commands upon
me," said Lizzie. Lady Fawn, who was perhaps more anxious that
the marriage should be broken off than that the jewels should be
restored, then withdrew; and as she left the room Lizzie clasped her
boy to her bosom. "He, at any rate, is left to me," she said. Lucy
and the Fawn girls went to evening church, and afterwards Lizzie came
down among them when they were at tea. Before she went to bed Lizzie
declared her intention of returning to her own house in Mount Street
on the following day. To this Lady Fawn of course made no objection.

On the next morning there came an event whi