"He is, at any rate, premature now in laying his commands upon me," said
Lizzie. Lady Fawn, who was perhaps more anxious that the marriage should
be broken off than that the jewels should be restored, then withdrew; and
as she left the room Lizzie clasped her boy to her bosom. "He, at any
rate, is left to me," she said. Lucy and the Fawn girls went to evening
church, and afterwards Lizzie came down among them when they were at tea.
Before she went to bed Lizzie declared her intention of returning to her
own house in Mount Street on the following day. To this Lady Fawn of
course made no objection.
On the next morning there came an event which robbed Lizzie's departure of
some of the importance which might otherwise have been attached to it. The
post-office, with that accuracy in the performance of its duties for which
it is conspicuous among all offices, caused Lucy's letter to be delivered
to her while the members of the family were sitting round the breakfast
table. Lizzie, indeed, was not there. She had expressed her intention of
breakfasting in her own room, and had requested that a conveyance might be
ready to take her to the 11:30 train.
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