By doing so
she will be apt to lose even his respect."
"I didn't mean for money," said Lucy, hotter than ever, with her eyes full
of tears.
"She should not be in any respect at his disposal till he has bound
himself to her at the altar. You may believe me, Lucy, when I tell you so.
It is only because I love you so that I say so."
"I know that, Lady Fawn."
"When your time here is over, just put up your things and come back to
Richmond. You need fear nothing with us. Frederic quite liked your way of
parting with him at last, and all that little affair is forgotten. At Fawn
Court you'll be safe; and you shall be happy, too, if we can make you
happy. It's the proper place for you."
"Of course you'll come," said Diana Fawn.
"You'll be the worst little thing in the world if you don't," said Lydia.
"We don't know what to do without you. Do we, mamma?"
"Lucy will please us all by coming back to her old home," said Lady Fawn.
The tears were now streaming down Lucy's face, so that she was hardly able
to say a word in answer to all this kindness. And she did not know what
word to say. Were she to accept the offer made to her, and acknowledge
that she could do nothing better than creep back under her old friend's
wing, would she not thereby be showing that she doubted her lover? But she
could not go to the dean's house unless the dean and his wife were pleased
to take her; and, suspecting as she did that they would not be pleased,
would it become her to throw upon her lover the burden of finding for her
a home with people who did not want her? Had she been welcome at
Bobsborough, Mrs.
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