“No, Fanny; neither he nor I, at the present moment, could expect you—­could reasonably expect you, to subject yourself to anything so painful as an interview must now have been.  Lord Ballindine has left the house—­I hope, for the last time—­at least, for many months.”

These words fell cold upon Fanny’s ears, “Did he leave any—­any message for me?”

“Nothing of any moment; nothing which it can avail to communicate to you:  he expressed his grief for your brother’s death, and desired I should tell you how grieved he was that you should be so afflicted.”

“Poor Harry!” sobbed Fanny, for it was a relief to cry again, though her tears were more for her lover than her brother.  “Poor Harry! they were very fond of each other.  I’m sure he must have been sorry—­I’m sure he’d feel it”—­and she paused, and sobbed again—­“He had heard of Harry’s death, then?”

When she said this, she had in her mind none of the dirty suspicion that had actuated Lord Cashel; but he guessed at her feelings by his own, and answered accordingly.

“At first I understood him to say he had; but then, he seemed to wish to express that he had not.  My impression, I own, is, that he must have heard of it; the sad news must have reached him.”

Fanny still did not understand the earl.  The idea of her lover coming after her money immediately on her obtaining possession of it, never entered her mind; she thought of her wealth as far as it might have affected him, but did not dream of its altering his conduct towards her.

“And did he seem unhappy about it?” she continued.  “I am sure it would make him very unhappy.  He could not have loved Harry better if he had been his brother,” and then she blushed again through her tears, as she remembered that she had intended that they should be brothers.

Lord Cashel did not say anything more on this head; he was fully convinced that Lord Ballindine only looked on the young man’s death as a windfall which he might turn to his own advantage; but he thought it would be a little too strong to say so outright, just at present.

“It will be a comfort for you to know that this matter is now settled,” continued the earl, “and that no one can attach the slightest blame to you in the matter.  Lord Ballindine has shown himself so very imprudent, so very unfit, in every way, for the honour you once intended him, that no other line of conduct was open to you than that which you have wisely pursued.”

This treading on the fallen was too much for Fanny.  “I have no right either to speak or to think ill of him,” said she, through her tears; “and if any one is ill-treated in the matter it is he.  But did he not ask to see me?”

“Surely, Fanny, you would not, at the present moment, have wished to see him!”

“Oh, no; it is a great relief, under all the circumstances, not having to do so.  But was he contented?  I should be glad that he were satisfied—­that he shouldn’t think I had treated him harshly, or rudely.  Did he appear as if he wished to see me again?”