about her sitting and--and kissing the man. Could I, my dear?" "I
couldn't," said Amelia;--"but Clara would."

"And to tell the truth," continued Lady Fawn, "I shouldn't care a bit
about it if it was not for poor Lucy. What will become of her if that
man is untrue to her?"

"Nothing on earth would make her believe it, unless it came from
himself," said Amelia,--who really did know something of Lucy's
character. "Till he tells her, or till she knows that he's married,
she'll never believe it."

Then, after a few days, there came those other letters from
Bobsborough,--one from the dean's wife and the other from Frank. The
matter there proposed it was necessary that they should discuss with
Lucy, as the suggestion had reached Lucy as well as themselves. She
at once came to Lady Fawn with her lover's letter, and with a gentle
merry laughing face declared that the thing would do very well. "I am
sure I should get on with her, and I should know that it wouldn't be
for long," said Lucy.

"The truth is, we don't want you to go at all," said Lady Fawn.

"Oh, but I must," said Lucy in her sharp, decided tone. "I must go. I
was bound to wait till I heard from Mr. Greystock, because it is my
first duty to obey him. But of course I cannot stay here after what
has passed. As Nina says, it is simply going to prison when Lord Fawn
comes here."

"Nina is an impertinent little chit," said Amelia.

"She is the dearest little friend in all the world," said Lucy, "and
always tells the exact truth. I do go to prison, and when he comes I
feel that I ought to go to prison. Of course, I must go away. What
does it matter? Lady Linlithgow won't be exactly like you,"--and she
put her little hand upon Lady Fawn's fat arm caressingly, "and I
sha'n't have you all to spoil me; but I shall be simply waiting till
he comes. Everything now must be no more than waiting till he comes."

If it was to be that "he" would never come, this was very dreadful.
Amelia clearly thought that "he" would never come, and Lady Fawn was
apt to think her daughter wiser than herself. And if Mr. Greystock
were such as Mrs. Hittaway had described him to be,--if there were to
be no such coming as that for which Lucy fondly waited,--then there
would be reason ten-fold strong why she should not leave Fawn Court
and go to Lady Linlithgow. In such case,--when that blow should
fall,--Lucy would require very different treatment than might be
expected for her from the hands