Lizzie at that moment, as by a flash of lightning--by an electric message
delivered to her intellect by that movement of the hat--that she might be
sure of Lord Fawn if she chose to take him. On Friday she might have been
sure of Frank, only that Lady Linlithgow came in the way. But now she did
not feel at all sure of Frank. Lord Fawn was at any rate a peer. She had
heard that he was a poor peer--but a peer, she thought, can't be
altogether poor. And though he was a stupid owl--she did not hesitate to
acknowledge to herself that he was as stupid as an owl--he had a position.
He was one of the Government, and his wife would, no doubt, be able to go
anywhere. It was becoming essential to her that she should marry. Even
though her husband should give up the diamonds, she would not in such case
incur the disgrace of surrendering them herself. She would have kept them
till she had ceased to be a Eustace. Frank had certainly meant it on that
Thursday afternoon; but surely he would have been in Mount street before
this if he had not changed his mind. We all know that a bird in the hand
is worth two in the bush. "I have been at Fawn Court once or twice," said
Lizzie, with her sweetest grace, "and I always think it a model of a real
family happiness."

"I hope you may be there very often," said Lord Fawn.

"Ah, I have no right to intrude myself often on your mother, Lord Fawn."

There could hardly be a better opening than this for him had he chosen to
accept it. But it was not thus that he had arranged it--for he made his
arrangements. "There would be no feeling of that kind, I am sure," he
said. And then he was silent. How was he to deploy himself on the ground
before him so as to make the strategy which he had prepared answer the
occasion of the day? "Lady Eustace," he said, "I don't know what your
views of life may be."