apparition,
"il y en a deux!" The surprise of the Lord Keeper was scarcely less
unpleasing at the duplication of the expected arrival; his mind misgave
him strangely. There was no neighbour who would have approached so
unceremoniously, at a time when ceremony was held in such respect. It
must be Lady Ashton, said his conscience, and followed up the hint with
an anxious anticipation of the purpose of her sudden and unannounced
return. He felt that he was caught "in the manner." That the company
in which she had so unluckily surprised him was likely to be highly
distasteful to her, there was no question; and the only hope which
remained for him was her high sense of dignified propriety, which, he
trusted, might prevent a public explosion. But so active were his doubts
and fears as altogether to derange his purposed ceremonial for the
reception of the Marquis.

These feelings of apprehension were not confined to Sir William Ashton.
"It is my mother--it is my mother!" said Lucy, turning as pale as ashes,
and clasping her hands together as she looked at Ravenswood.

"And if it be Lady Ashton," said her lover to her in a low tone, "what
can be the occasion of such alarm? Surely the return of a lady to
the family from which she has been so long absent should excite other
sensations than those of fear and dismay."

"You do not know my mother," said Miss Ashton, in a tone almost
breathless with terror; "what will she say when she sees you in this
place!"

"My stay has been too long," said Ravenswood, somewhat haughtily, "if
her displeasure at my presence is likely to be so formidable. My dear
Lucy," he resumed, in a tone of soothing encouragement, "you are too
childishly afraid of Lady Ashton; she is a woman of family--a lady
of fashion--a person who must know the world, and what is due to her
husband and her husband's guests." Lucy shook her head; and, as if
her mother, still at the distance of half a mile, could have seen and
scrutinised her deportment, she withdrew herself from beside Ravenswood,
and, taking her brother Henry's arm, led him to a different part of the
terrace. The Keeper also shuffled down towards the portal of the great
gate, without inviting Ravenswood to accompany him; and thus he remained
standing alone on the terrace, deserted and shunned, as it were, by
the inhabitants of the mansion. This suited not the mood of one who was
proud in proportion to his poverty, and who thought that, in sacrificing
his