"Have you said anything to them about it?" asked Mr. Middleton.
"Yes," answered his brother. "I have mentioned it to them."
"What did they say?"
"Fanny said nothing, but Julia seemed much pleased with the idea," said
William.
"I'll warrant that," returned Mr. Middleton. "She's tickled enough, and in
her own mind she's run up a bill agin me for at least five hundred.
Sunshine is so modest, I s'pose, because Dr. Lacey will be there, that she
does not want to seem very glad; but she'll go. I'll have them come home
tomorrow, and will talk the matter over. I'd as soon have her go to New
Orleans as to New York."
Here the conversation was interrupted by Mrs. Middleton, who came to tell
her husband that it was past nine. Mr. Middleton had a great horror of
being up after that hour, so he hastily bade his brother and Ashton good
night, saying to the former, "Now I've got kind of used to your being
alive, Bill, I hope I shan't have such pesky work goin' to sleep."
Next morning Ashton returned to Frankfort in the carriage which Mr.
Middleton had sent for the purpose of bringing his daughters home. For
once in her life, Julia was delighted with the idea of visiting her
parents. She had learned from a note which her mother had written that the
reason of their being sent for was to talk over the matter of going to New
Orleans. Fanny felt differently. She wished, yet dreaded, to go home. She
too knew why they were sent for; and as she was determined not to go to
New Orleans, it would be necessary at last to tell her father the true
reason. She was certain he would be unsparing in his wrath against Dr.
Lacey, and she almost trembled for the consequences.
When at last she was ready she descended to the parlor, and sitting down
to her piano ran her fingers lightly over the keys. At that moment Frank
Cameron entered. He had learned from his cousin, Kate, enough of Fanny's
history to make him fear that she never could be aught to him; and yet the
knowledge that he could not, must not, hope to win her, only rendered the
attraction stronger. He was intending to start for home the next day, and
had now come to spend a few minutes alone with Fanny ere he bade her
good-by. As he entered the room she ceased playing, and said, "I believe
you leave town tomorrow, do you not?"