The diamonds were gone, and the action was laid aside, and the
general opinion which had prevailed a month or two since, that Lizzie had
been disreputably concerned in stealing her own necklace, seemed to have
been laid aside. Lady Glencora and the duke went for almost as much with
Lord Fawn as they did with Lizzie. No doubt the misbehaviour down among
the rocks was left to him; but he had that only on the evidence of Andy
Gowran, and even Andy Gowran's evidence he had declined to receive
otherwise than second-hand. Lizzie, too, was prepared with an answer to
this charge, an answer which she had already made more than once, though
the charge was not positively brought against her, and which consisted in
an assertion that Frank Greystock was her brother rather than her cousin.
Such brotherhood was not altogether satisfactory to Lord Fawn, when he
came once more to regard Lizzie Eustace as his possible future wife; but
still the assertion was an answer, and one that he could not altogether
reject.
It certainly was the case that he had again begun to think what would be
the result of a marriage with Lady Eustace. He must sever himself
altogether from Mrs.
Pages:
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941