lked straight up to him, following him on the path. "Lord
Fawn," she said, "I have come to beg your pardon."

He had turned round hearing footsteps behind him, but still was
startled and unready. "It does not matter at all," he said.

"It matters to me, because I behaved badly."

"What I said about Mr. Greystock wasn't intended to be said to you,
you know."

"Even if it was it would make no matter. I don't mean to think of
that now. I beg your pardon because I said what I ought not to have
said."

"You see, Miss Morris, that as the head of this family--"

"If I had said it to Juniper, I would have begged his pardon." Now
Juniper was the gardener, and Lord Fawn did not quite like the way in
which the thing was put to him. The cloud came across his brow, and
he began to fear that she would again insult him. "I oughtn't to
accuse anybody of an untruth,--not in that way; and I am very sorry
for what I did, and I beg your pardon." Then she turned as though she
were going back to the house.

But he stopped her. "Miss Morris, if it will suit you to stay with my
mother, I will never say a word against it."

"It is quite settled that I am to go to-morrow, Lord Fawn. Only for
that I would not have troubled you again."

Then she did turn towards the house, but he recalled her. "We will
shake hands, at any rate," he said, "and not part as enemies." So
they shook hands, and Lucy came down and sat in his company at the
dinner-table.

CHAPTER XXXIV

Lady Linlithgow at Home

Lucy, in her letter to her lover, had distinctly asked whether she
might tell Lady Linlithgow the name of her future husband, but had
received no reply when she was taken to Bruton Street. The parting at
Richmond was very painful, and Lady Fawn had declared herself quite
unable to make another journey up to London with the ungrateful
runagate. Though there was no diminution of affection among the
Fawns, there was a general feeling that Lucy was behaving badly. That
obstinacy of hers was getting the better of her. Why should she have
gone? Even Lord Fawn had expressed his desire that she should remain.
And then, in the breasts of the wise ones, all faith in the Greystock
engagement had nearly vanished. Another letter had come from Mrs.
Hittaway, who now declared that it was already understood about
Portray that Lady Eustace intended to marry her cousin. This was
described as a terrible crime on the part of Lizzie, though the
antagonistic cri