y down
to Fawn Court. And yet her son went about quite as much as did
her daughter. If Lady Eustace was such a reprobate as was now
represented, why had not Lord Fawn heard the truth? And then she had
already given in her own adhesion, and had promised to call. "Do you
mean that you won't go to her?" said Lady Fawn.

"As Lady Eustace,--certainly not. If Frederic does marry her, of
course I must know her. That's a different thing. One has to make
the best one can of a bad bargain. I don't doubt they'd be separated
before two years were over."

"Oh, dear, how dreadful!" exclaimed Augusta.

Lady Fawn, after much consideration, was of opinion that she must
carry out her intention of calling upon her son's intended bride
in spite of all the evil things that had been said. Lord Fawn had
undertaken to send a message to Mount Street, informing the lady of
the honour intended for her. And in truth Lady Fawn was somewhat
curious now to see the household of the woman who might perhaps do
her the irreparable injury of ruining the happiness of her only son.
Perhaps she might learn something by looking at the woman in her own
drawing-room. At any rate she would go. But Mrs. Hittaway's words had
the effect of inducing her to leave Augusta where she was. If there
were contamination, why should Augusta be contaminated? Poor Augusta!
She had looked forward to the delight of embracing her future
sister-in-law;--and would not have enjoyed it the less, perhaps,
because she had been told that the lady was false, profligate, and a
vixen. As, however, her position was that of a girl, she was bound to
be obedient,--though over thirty years old,--and she obeyed.

Lizzie was of course at home, and Miss Macnulty was of course
visiting the Horticultural Gardens or otherwise engaged. On such an
occasion Lizzie would certainly be alone. She had taken great pains
with her dress, studying not so much her own appearance as the
character of her visitor. She was very anxious, at any rate for the
present, to win golden opinions from Lady Fawn. She was dressed
richly, but very simply. Everything about her room betokened wealth;
but she had put away the French novels, and had placed a Bible on
a little table, not quite hidden, behind her own seat. The long
lustrous lock was tucked up, but the diamonds were still upon
her fingers. She fully intended to make a conquest of her future
mother-in-law and sister-in-law;--for the note which had come up to
her