Thus, and at much greater length, did Miss. French discourse to her
attentive sister. Forgetful of the time, Fanny found at length that
it would be impossible to meet Horace Lord as he came out of church;
but it did not distress her.





CHAPTER 3





Nancy Lord stood at the front-room window, a hand grasping each side
of her waist, her look vaguely directed upon the limetree opposite
and the house which it in part concealed. She was a well-grown girl
of three and twenty, with the complexion and the mould of form which
indicate, whatever else, habitual nourishment on good and plenteous
food. In her ripe lips and softlyrounded cheeks the current of life
ran warm. She had hair of a fine auburn, and her mode of wearing it,
in a plaited diadem, answered the purpose of completing a figure
which, without being tall, had some stateliness and promised more.
Her gown, trimmed with a collar of lace, left the neck free; the
maiden cincture at her waist did no violence to natural proportion.

This afternoon--it was Monday--she could not occupy or amuse
herself in any of the familiar ways. Perhaps the atmosphere of
national Jubilee had a disturbing effect upon her,--in spite of