Frank had
therefore willingly displayed alacrity in persecuting his lordship, and
had not been altogether without hope that he might drive the two into a
marriage yet, in spite of the protestations made by Lizzie at Portray.
Lord Fawn had certainly not spent a happy winter. Between Mrs. Hittaway on
one side and Frank Greystock on the other, his life had been a burthen to
him. It had been suggested to him by various people that he was behaving
badly to the lady, who was represented as having been cruelly misused by
fortune and by himself. On the other hand it had been hinted to him, that
nothing was too bad to believe of Lizzie Eustace, and that no calamity
could be so great as that by which he would be overwhelmed were he still
to allow himself to be forced into that marriage. "It would be better,"
Mrs. Hittaway had said, "to retire to Ireland at once and cultivate your
demesne in Tipperary." This was a grievous sentence, and one which had
greatly excited the brother's wrath; but it had shown how very strong was
his sister's opinion against the lady to whom he had unfortunately offered
his hand. Then there came to him a letter from Mr.
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