“He 'll not turn you out, dear,—of that I am quite certain. I suspect I am the only one in the world he would treat in that fashion.”
“I must not incur the risk.”
“Dear me, have you not been running risks all your life, Lucy? Besides, what else have you open to you?”
“Join my husband, I suppose, whenever he sends for me,—whenever he says he has a home to receive me.” “Dudley, I 'm certain, will do his best,” said Lady Lendrick, stiffly. “It is not very easy for a poor man to make these arrangements in a moment. But, with all his faults,—and even his mother must own that he has many faults,—yet I have never known him to bear malice.” “Certainly, Madam, you are justified in your panegyric by his conduct on the present occasion; he has, indeed, displayed a most forgiving nature.”
“You mean by not fighting Trafford, I suppose; but come now, Lucy, we are here alone, and can talk freely to each other; why should he fight him?”
“I will not follow you, Lady Lendrick, into that inquiry, nor give you any pretext for saying to me what your candor is evidently eager for. I will only repeat that the one thing I ever knew Colonel Sewell pardon was the outrage that no gentleman ever endures.”
“He fought once before, and was greatly condemned for it.”
“I suppose you know why, Madam. I take it you have no need I should tell you the Agra story, with all its shameful details?”
“I don't want to hear it; and if I did I would certainly hesitate to listen to it from one so deeply and painfully implicated as yourself.”
“Lady Lendrick, I will have no insinuations,” said she, haughtily. “When I came here, it never occurred to me I was to be insulted.”