Lord Cashel at first tried to frighten her out of her project by
silence, frowns, and looks: but not finding himself successful, he
commenced a long oration, in which he broke down, or rather, which he
had to cut up into sundry short speeches; in which he endeavoured to
make it appear that Lord Ballindine's expulsion had originated with
Fanny herself, and that, banished or not banished, the less Fanny had
to do with him the better. His ward, however, declared, in rather a
tempestuous manner, that if she could not see him at Grey Abbey she
would see him elsewhere; and his lordship was obliged to capitulate
by promising that if Frank were unmarried in twelve months' time,
and Fanny should then still be of the same mind, he would consent to
the match and use his influence to bring it about. This by no means
satisfied Fanny, but it was all that the earl would say, and she
had now to consider whether she would accept those terms or act for
herself. Had she had any idea what steps she could with propriety take
in opposition to the earl, she would have withdrawn herself and her
fortune from his house and hands, without any scruples of conscience.
But what was she to do? She couldn't write to her lover and ask him to
come back to her!--Whither could she go? She couldn't well set up house
for herself.

Lady Selina was bending over her writing-desk, and penning most
decorous notes, with a precision of calligraphy which it was painful
to witness. She was writing orders to Dublin tradesmen, and each order
might have been printed in the Complete Letter-Writer, as a specimen of
the manner in which young ladies should address such correspondents.
Fanny had a volume of French poetry in her hand, but had it been Greek
prose it would have given her equal occupation and amusement. It had
been in her hands half-an-hour, and she had not read a line.

"Fanny," said Lady Selina, raising up her thin red spiral tresses from
her desk, and speaking in a firm, decided tone, as if well assured of
the importance of the question she was going to put; "don't you want
some things from Ellis's?"

"From where, Selina?" said Fanny, slightly starting.

"From Ellis's," repeated Lady Selina.

"Oh, the man in Grafton Street.--No, thank you." And Fanny returned to
her thoughts.

"Surely you do, Fanny," said her ladyship. "I'm sure you want black
crape; you were saying so on Friday last."

"Was I?--Yes; I think I do. It'll do another time, Selina; never