, I made up my mind that he should
not go out of the house till he had promised that. He couldn't get
out of it. What had I done?" Frank thought of the scene among the
rocks. He did not, of course, allude to it, but Lizzie was not so
reticent. "As to what that old rogue saw down in Scotland, I don't
care a bit about it, Frank. He has been up in London, and telling
them all, no doubt. Nasty, dirty eavesdropper! But what does it come
to? Psha! When he mentioned your name I silenced him at once. What
could I have done, unless I had had some friend? At any rate, he is
to ask me again in writing,--and then what shall I say?"

"You must consult your own heart."

"No, Frank;--I need not do that. Why do you say so?"

"I know not what else to say."

"A woman can marry without consulting her heart. Women do so every
day. This man is a lord, and has a position. No doubt I despise him
thoroughly,--utterly. I don't hate him, because he is not worth being
hated."

"And yet you would marry him?"

"I have not said so. I will tell you this truth, though perhaps you
will say it is not feminine. I would fain marry some one. To be as I
have been for the last two years is not a happy condition."

"I would not marry a man I despised."

"Nor would I,--willingly. He is honest and respectable; and in spite
of all that has come and gone would, I think, behave well to a woman
when she was once his wife. Of course, I would prefer to marry a man
that I could love. But if that is impossible, Frank--"

"I thought that you had determined that you would have nothing to do
with this lord."

"I thought so too. Frank, you have known all that I have thought, and
all that I have wished. You talk to me of marrying where my heart has
been given. Is it possible that I should do so?"

"How am I to say?"

"Come, Frank, be true with me. I am forcing myself to speak truth to
you. I think that between you and me, at any rate, there should be no
words spoken that are not true. Frank, you know where my heart is."
As she said this, she stood over him, and laid her hand upon his
shoulder. "Will you answer me one question?"

"If I can, I will."

"Are you engaged to marry Lucy Morris?"

"I am."

"And you intend to marry her?" To this question he made no immediate
answer. "We are old enough now, Frank, to know that something more
than what you call heart is wanted to make us happy when we marry. I
will say nothing hard of Lucy, though she be my rival