fourth centuries. She had planned the new flower-garden, though Lady Fawn
thought that she had done that herself. She had been invaluable during
Clara Fawn's long illness. She knew every rule at croquet, and could play
piquet. When the girls got up charades they had to acknowledge that
everything depended on Miss Morris. They were good-natured, plain,
unattractive girls, who spoke of her to her face as one who could easily
do anything to which she might put her hand. Lady Fawn did really love
her. Lord Fawn, the eldest son, a young man of about thirty-five, a peer
of Parliament and an Undersecretary of State, very prudent and very
diligent, of whom his mother and sisters stood in great awe, consulted her
frequently and made no secret of his friendship. The mother knew her awful
son well, and was afraid of nothing wrong in that direction. Lord Fawn had
suffered a disappointment in love, but he had consoled himself with blue
books, and mastered his passion by incessant attendance at the India
Board. The lady he had loved had been rich, and Lord Fawn was poor; but
nevertheless he had mastered his passion. There was no fear that his
feelings toward the governess would become too warm; nor was it likely
that Miss Morris should encounter danger in regard to him. It was quite an
understood thing in the family that Lord Fawn must marry money.

Lucy Morris was indeed a treasure. No brighter face ever looked into
another to seek sympathy there, either in mirth or woe. There was a gleam
in her eyes that was almost magnetic, so sure was she to obtain by it that
community of interest which she desired, though it were but for a moment.
Lord Fawn was pompous, slow, dull, and careful; but even he had given way
to it at once. Lady Fawn, too, was very careful, but she had owned to
herself long since that she could not bear to look forward to any
permanent severance. Of course Lucy would be made over to the Hittaways,
whose mother lived in Warwick Square, and whose father was Chairman of the
Board of Civil Appeals. The Hittaways were the only grandchildren with