"
"I am very sorry for your dress. I am very sorry for it all. Do you know,
I sometimes think I shall--murder him."
"Lucinda, how can you say anything so horrible! But I see you are only
joking." There did come a ghastly smile over that beautiful face, which
was so seldom lighted up by any expression of mirth or good humour. "But I
wish you would not say such horrible things."
"It would serve him right; and if he were to murder me that would serve me
right. He knows that I detest him, and yet he goes on with it. I have told
him so a score of times, but nothing will make him give it up. It is not
that he loves me, but he thinks that that will be his triumph."
"Why don't you give it up if it makes you unhappy?"
"It ought to come from him, ought it not?"
"I don't see why," said Lizzie.
"He is not bound to anybody as I am bound to my aunt. No one can have
exacted an oath from him. Lady Eustace, you don't quite understand how we
are situated. I wonder whether you would take the trouble to be good to
me?"
Lucinda Roanoke had never asked a favour of her before; had never, to
Lizzie's knowledge, asked a favour of any one.
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