and without any farther remonstrance , she left fanny to her fate , a fate which , had not fanny 's heart been guarded in a way unsuspected by miss crawford , might have been a little harder than she deserved ; for although there doubtless are such unconquerable young ladies of eighteen as can never be persuaded into love by talent , attention , and flattery , i have no inclination to believe fanny one of them , or to think that she could have escaped heart-whole from the courtship of such a man as crawford , if her affection had not been engaged elsewhere .