"She has visited at Fawn Court, more than once. She is a friend of Lucy's."
"If she is a friend of Lucy Morris, mamma, Lucy Morris shall never come here."
"But what has she done? I have never heard that she has behaved improperly. What does it all mean? She goes out everywhere. I don't think she has had any lovers. Frederic would be the last man in the world to throw himself away upon an ill-conditioned young woman."
"Frederic can see just as far as some other men, and not a bit farther. Of course she has an income,—for her life."
"I believe it is her own altogether, Clara."
"She says so, I don't doubt. I believe she is the greatest liar about London. You find out about her jewels before she married poor Sir Florian, and how much he had to pay for her; or rather, I'll find out. If you want to know, mamma, you just ask her own aunt, Lady Linlithgow."
"We all know, my dear, that Lady Linlithgow quarrelled with her."
"It's my belief that she is over head and ears in debt again. But I'll learn. And when I have found out, I shall not scruple to tell Frederic. Orlando will find out all about it." Orlando was the Christian name of Mrs. Hittaway's husband. "Mr. Camperdown, I have no doubt, knows all the ins and outs of her story. The long and the short of it is this, mamma, that I've heard quite enough about Lady Eustace to feel certain that Frederic would live to repent it."
"But what can we do?" said Lady Fawn.
"Break it off," said Mrs. Hittaway.