, we can't wait a month before we let Mrs. Greystock
know."

"We must write to her, of course."

"And then, you see, Mr. Greystock wishes it." Lady Fawn knew that
Lucy could be very firm, and had hardly hoped that anything could
be done by simple persuasion. They had long been accustomed among
themselves to call her obstinate, and knew that even in her acts of
obedience she had a way of obeying after her own fashion. It was as
well, therefore, that the thing to be said should be said at once.

"My dear Lucy, has it ever occurred to you that there may be a slip
between the cup and the lip?"

"What do you mean, Lady Fawn?"

"That sometimes engagements take place which never become more than
engagements. Look at Lord Fawn and Lady Eustace."

"Mr. Greystock and I are not like that," said Lucy, proudly.

"Such things are very dreadful, Lucy, but they do happen."

"Do you mean anything;--anything real, Lady Fawn?"

"I have so strong a reliance on your good sense, that I will tell
you just what I do mean. A rumour has reached me that Mr. Greystock
is--paying more attention than he ought to do to Lady Eustace."

"His own cousin!"

"But people marry their cousins, Lucy."

"To whom he has always been just like a brother! I do think that is
the cruellest thing. Because he sacrifices his time and his money
and all his holidays to go and look after her affairs, this is to be
said of him! She hasn't another human being to look after her, and,
therefore, he is obliged to do it. Of course he has told me all about
it. I do think, Lady Fawn,--I do think that is the greatest shame I
ever heard!"

"But if it should be true--?"

"It isn't true."

"But just for the sake of showing you, Lucy--; if it was to be true."

"It won't be true."

"Surely I may speak to you as your friend, Lucy. You needn't be so
abrupt with me. Will you listen to me, Lucy?"

"Of course I will listen;--only nothing that anybody on earth could
say about that would make me believe a word of it."

"Very well! Now just let me go on. If it were to be so--"

"Oh-h, Lady Fawn!"

"Don't be foolish, Lucy. I will say what I've got to say. If--if--
Let me see. Where was I? I mean just this. You had better remain
here till things are a little more settled. Even if it be only a
rumour,--and I'm sure I don't believe it's anything more,--you had
better hear about it with us,--with friends round you, than with a
perfect stranger like Lady Linlithgow. If an