The Eustace Diamonds by Anthony Trollope

Lucy Morris went to Lady Linlithgow early in October, and was still with Lady Linlithgow when Lizzie Eustace returned to London in January. During these three months she certainly had not been happy. In the first place, she had not once seen her lover. This had aroused no anger or suspicion in her bosom against him, because the old countess had told her that she would have no lover come to the house, and that, above all, she would not allow a young man with whom she herself was connected to come in that guise to her companion. "From all I hear," said Lady Linlithgow, "it's not at all likely to be a match; -- and at any rate it can't go on here. " Lucy thought that she would be doing no more than standing up properly for her lover by asserting her conviction that it would be a match; -- and she did assert it bravely; but she made no petition for his presence, and bore that trouble bravely. In the next place, Frank was not a satisfactory correspondent.

He did write to her occasionally; -- and he wrote also to the old countess immediately on his return to town from Bobsborough a letter which was intended as an answer to that which she had written to Mrs. Greystock. What was said in that letter Lucy never knew; -- but she did know that Frank's few letters to herself were not full and hearty -- were not such thoroughgoing love-letters as lovers write to each other when they feel unlimited satisfaction in the work. She excused him -- telling herself that he was overworked, that with his double trade of legislator and lawyer he could hardly be expected to write letters -- that men, in respect of letter-writing, are not as women are, and the like; but still there grew at her heart a little weed of care, which from week to week spread its noxious, heavy-scented leaves, and robbed her of her joyousness.