d her mother as she quitted
the room. Lady Maria over her tambour-frame escaped without the least
notice, and scarcely lifted up her head from her embroidery, to watch
the aunt retreating, or the looks which mamma-in-law and sister threw at
one another.

"So, in spite of all, you have, madam?" the maternal looks seemed to
say.

"Have what?" asked Lady Fanny's eyes. But what good in looking innocent?
She looked puzzled. She did not look one-tenth part as innocent as
Maria. Had she been guilty, she would have looked not guilty much more
cleverly; and would have taken care to study and compose a face so as to
be ready to suit the plea. Whatever was the expression of Fanny's eyes,
mamma glared on her as if she would have liked to tear them out.

But Lady Castlewood could not operate upon the said eyes then and there,
like the barbarous monsters in the stage-direction in King Lear. When
her ladyship was going to tear out her daughter's eyes, she would retire
smiling, with an arm round her dear child's waist, and then gouge her in
private.

"So you don't fancy going with the old lady to Tunbridge Wells?" was
all she said to Cousin Warrington, wearing at the same time a perfectly
well-bred simper on her face.

"And small blame to our cousin!" interposed my lord. (The face over the
tambour-frame looked up for one instant.) "A young fellow must not have
it all idling and holiday. Let him mix up something useful with his
pleasures, and go to the fiddles and pump-rooms at Tunbridge or the Bath
later. Mr. Warrington has to conduct a great estate in America: let him
see how ours in England are carried on. Will hath shown him the kennel
and the stables; and the games in vogue, which I think, cousin, you
seem to play as well as your teachers. After harvest we will show him
a little English fowling and shooting: in winter we will take him
out a-hunting. Though there has been a coolness between us and our
aunt-kinswoman in Virginia, yet we are of the same blood. Ere we
send our cousin back to his mother, let us show him what an English
gentleman's life at home is. I should like to read with him as well as
sport with him, and that is why I have been pressing him of late to stay
and bear me company."

My lord spoke with such perfect frankness that his mother-in-law and
half-brother and sister could not help wondering what his meaning
could be. The three last-named persons often held little conspiracies
together, and caballed or gr