she believed to be as strong as a house.




CHAPTER VII

MR. BURKE'S SPEECHES


Lucy Morris had been told by Lady Fawn that--in point of fact, that, being
a governess, she ought to give over falling in love with Frank Greystock,
and she had not liked it. Lady Fawn, no doubt, had used words less abrupt
--had probably used but few words, and had expressed her meaning chiefly
by little winks, and shakings of her head, and small gestures of her
hands, and had ended by a kiss--in all of which she had intended to mingle
mercy with justice, and had, in truth, been full of love. Nevertheless,
Lucy had not liked it. No girl likes to be warned against falling in love,
whether the warning be needed or not needed. In this case Lucy knew very
well that the caution was too late. It might be all very well for Lady
Fawn to decide that her governess should not receive visits from a lover
in her house; and then the governess might decide whether, in those
circumstances, she would remain or go away; but Lady Fawn could have no
right to tell her governess not to be in love. All this Lucy said to
herself over and over again, and yet she knew that Lady Fawn had treated
her well. The old woman had kissed her, and purred over her, and praised
her, and had really loved her. As a matter of course, Lucy was not
entitled to have a lover. Lucy knew that well enough. As she walked alone
among the shrubs she made arguments in defence of Lady Fawn as against
herself. And yet at every other minute she would blaze up into a grand