The "closeting" consisted simply in the fact that Miss Macnulty was not
present. Lizzie fully appreciated the pleasure, and utility, and general
convenience of having a companion, but she had no scruple whatever in
obtaining absolute freedom for herself when she desired it. "My dear," she
would say, "the best friends in the world shouldn't always be together;
should they? Wouldn't you like to go to the Horticultural?" Then Miss
Macnulty would go to the Horticultural, or else up into her own bedroom.
When Lizzie was beginning to wax wrathful again because Frank Greystock
did not come, Lord Fawn made his appearance. "How kind this is," said
Lizzie. "I thought you were always at Richmond on Sundays."

"I have just come up from my mother's," said Lord Fawn, twiddling his hat.
Then Lizzie, with a pretty eagerness, asked after Lady Fawn and the girls,
and her dear little friend Lucy Morris. Lizzie could be very prettily
eager when she pleased. She leaned forward her face as she asked her
questions, and threw back her loose lustrous lock of hair, with her long
lithe fingers covered with diamonds--the diamonds, these, which Sir
Florian had really given her, or which she had procured from Mr. Benjamin
in the clever manner described in the opening chapter. "They are all quite
well, thank you," said Lord Fawn. "I believe Miss Morris is quite well,
though she was a little out of sorts last night."

"She is not ill, I hope," said Lizzie, bringing the lustrous lock forward
again.

"In her temper, I mean," said Lord Fawn.

"Indeed! I hope Miss Lucy is not forgetting herself. That would be very
sad, after the great kindness she has received." Lord Fawn said that it
would be very sad, and then put his hat down upon the floor. It came upon