Lady Fawn was one of the best women
breathing,--unselfish, motherly, affectionate, appreciative, and
never happy unless she was doing good to somebody. It was her nature
to be soft, and kind, and beneficent. But she knew very well that if
she had had a son,--a second son,--situated as was Frank Greystock,
she would not wish him to marry a girl without a penny, who was
forced to earn her bread by being a governess. The sacrifice on Mr.
Greystock's part would, in her estimation, be so great, that she did
not believe that it would be made. Woman-like, she regarded the man
as being so much more important than the woman, that she could not
think that Frank Greystock would devote himself simply to such a
one as Lucy Morris. Had Lady Fawn been asked which was the better
creature of the two, her late governess or the rising barrister who
had declared himself to be that governess's lover, she would have
said that no man could be better than Lucy. She knew Lucy's worth
and goodness so well that she was ready herself to do any act of
friendship on behalf of one so sweet and excellent. For herself and
her girls Lucy was a companion and friend in every way satisfactory.
But was it probable that a man of the world, such as was Frank
Greystock, a rising man, a member of Parliament, one who, as
everybody knew, was especially in want of money,--was it probable
that such a man as this would make her his wife just because she was
good, and worthy, and sweet-natured? No doubt the man had said that
he would do so,--and Lady Fawn's fears betrayed on her ladyship's
part a very bad opinion of men in general. It may seem to be a
paradox to assert that such bad opinion sprung from the high idea
which she entertained of the importance of men in general;--but it
was so. She had but one son, and of all her children he was the least
worthy; but he was more important to her than all her daughters.
Between her own girls and Lucy she hardly made any difference;--but
when her son had chosen to quarrel with Lucy it had been necessary to
send Lucy to eat her meals up-stairs. She could not believe that Mr.
Greystock should think so much of such a little girl as to marry her.
Mr. Greystock would no doubt behave very badly in not doing so;--but
then men do so often behave very badly! And at the bottom of her
heart she almost thought that they might be excused for doing so.
According to her view of things, a man out in the world had so many
things to think of