Then Lucy Morris entered the room with Nina, the cadette of the family. "Oh, Nina, what do you think?" said Lydia.
"My dear!" said Lady Fawn, putting up her hand and stopping further indiscreet speech.
"Oh, mamma, what is it?" asked the cadette.
"Surely Lucy may be told," said Lydia.
"Well, yes; Lucy may be told certainly. There can be no reason why Lucy should not know all that concerns our family;—and the more so as she has been for many years intimate with the lady. My dear, my son is going to be married to Lady Eustace."
"Lord Fawn going to marry Lizzie!" said Lucy Morris, in a tone which certainly did not express unmingled satisfaction.
"Unless you forbid the banns," said Diana.
"Is there any reason why he should not?" said Lady Fawn.
"Oh, no;—only it seems so odd. I didn't know that they knew each other;—not well, that is. And then—"
"Then what, my dear?"