And Diana had never said a word to her about it--to her own cousin!
Nasty, close, mean ways! Fanny was not good enough for Tallyn--oh no!
_She_ was asked to Beechcote when there was nothing going on--or next to
nothing--and one might yawn one's self to sleep with dulness from
morning till night. But as soon as she was safely packed off, then there
would be fine times, no doubt; the engagement would be announced; the
presents would begin to come in; the bridesmaids would be chosen. But
she would get nothing out of it--not she; she would not be asked to be
bridesmaid. She was not genteel enough for Diana.
Diana--_Diana_!--the daughter--
Fanny's whole nature gathered itself as though for a spring upon some
prey, at once tempting and exasperating. In one short fortnight the
inbred and fated antagonism between the two natures had developed
itself--on Fanny's side--to the point of hatred. In the depths of her
being she knew that Diana had yearned to love her, and had not been
able. That failure was not her crime, but Diana's.
Fanny looked haughtily round the table. How many of them knew what she
knew? Suddenly a name recurred to her!--the name announced by the butler
and repeated by Mr.
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