that he could not
resist the temptation; but he corrected himself--"at least, I think I
have convinced him that it is impossible that he should any longer look
upon Miss Wyndham as his future wife."

Lord Cashel paused for some mark of approbation. Fanny saw that she was
expected to speak, and, therefore, asked whether Lord Ballindine was
still in the house. She listened tremulously for his answer; for she
felt that if her lover were to be rejected, he had a right, after what
had passed between them, to expect that she should, in person, express
her resolution to him. And yet, if she had to see him now, could she
reject him? could she tell him that all the vows that had been made
between them were to be as nothing? No! she could only fall on his
shoulder, and weep in his arms. But Lord Cashel had managed better than
that.

"No, Fanny; neither he nor I, at the present moment, could expect
you--could reasonably expect you, to subject yourself to anything so
painful as an interview must now have been. Lord Ballindine has left
the house--I hope, for the last time--at least, for many months."

These words fell cold upon Fanny's ears, "Did he leave any--any message
for me?"

"Nothing of any moment; nothing which it can avail to communicate to
you: he expressed his grief for your brother's death, and desired I
should tell you how grieved he was that you should be so afflicted."

"Poor Harry!" sobbed Fanny, for it was a relief to cry again, though
her tears were more for her lover than her brother. "Poor Harry! they
were very fond of each other. I'm sure he must have been sorry--I'm
sure he'd feel it"--and she paused, and sobbed again--"He had heard of
Harry's death, then?"

When she said this, she had in her mind none of the dirty suspicion
that had actuated Lord Cashel; but he guessed at her feelings by his
own, and answered accordingly.

"At first I understood him to say he had; but then, he seemed to wish
to express that he had not. My impression, I own, is, that he must have
heard of it; the sad news must have reached him."

Fanny still did not understand the earl. The idea of her lover coming
after her money immediately on her obtaining possession of it, never
entered her mind; she thought of her wealth as far as it might have
affected him, but did not dream of its altering his conduct towards
her.

"And did he seem unhappy about it?" she continued. "I am sure it would
make him very unhappy. He could not have