went to her school as usual, and made one or two calls among the
farmers' wives, but put no foot within the Framley Court grounds.
She was braver than her husband, but even she did not wish to
anticipate the evil day. On the Saturday, just before it began to
get dusk, she was thinking of preparing for the fatal plunge, her
friend, Lady Meredith, came to her.

'So, Fanny, we shall again be so unfortunate to miss Mr Robarts,'
said her ladyship.

'Yes. Did you ever know anything so unlucky? But he had promised
Mr Sowerby before he heard you were coming. Pray do not think that
he would have gone away had he known it.'

'We should have been sorry to keep him from so much more amusing
party.'

'Now, Justinia, you are unfair. You intend to imply that he has
gone to Chaldicotes, because he likes it better than Framley Court;
but that is not the case. I hope Lady Lufton does not think that
it is.'

Lady Meredith laughed as she put her arm round her friend's waist.
'Don't lose your eloquence in defending him to me,' she said.
'You'll want all that for my mother.'

'But is your mother angry?' asked Mrs Robarts, showing by her
countenance how eager she was for true tidings on the subject.

'Well, Fanny, you know her ladyship as well as I do. She thinks so