ook at it. "It is not an Indian letter,"
she remarked.

"No. Papa must have landed."

Opening the letter, they found it to be so. Sir Henry had arrived at
Southampton, Lucy turned pale with agitation. It seemed a formidable
thing, now it had come so close, to meet her father, whom she had not
seen for so many years.

"When is he coming here?" she breathlessly asked.

"To-morrow," replied Lady Verner; not speaking until she had glanced
over the whole contents of the letter. "He purposes to remain a day and
a night with us, and then he will take you with him to London."

"But a day and a night! Go away then to London! Shall I never come
back?" reiterated Lucy, more breathlessly than before.

Lady Verner looked at her with calm surprise. "One would think, child,
you wanted to remain in Deerham. Were I a young lady, I should be glad
to get away from it. The London season is at its height."

Lucy laughed and blushed somewhat consciously. She thought she should
not care about the London season; but she did not say so to Lady Verner.
Lady Verner resumed.

"Sir Henry wishes me to accompany you, Lucy. I suppose I must do so.
What a vast deal we shall have to think of to-day! We shall be able to
do nothing to-morrow when Sir Henry is here."

Lucy toyed with her tea-spoon, toyed with her breakfast; but the
capability of eating more had left her. The suddenness of the
announcement had taken away her appetite, and a hundred doubts were
tormenting her. Should she never again return to Deerham?--never again
see Li----

"We must make a call or two to-day, Lucy."

The interruption, breaking in upon her busy thoughts, caused her to
start. Lady Verner resumed.

"This morning must be devoted to business; to the giving directions as
to clothes, packing, and such like. I can tell you, Lucy, that you will
have a great deal of it to do yourself; Catherine's so incapable since
she got that rheumatism in her hand. Therese will have enough to see to
with my things."

"I can do it all," answered Lucy. "I can----"

"What next, my dear? _You_ pack! Though Catherine's hand is painful, she
can do something."

"Oh, yes, we shall manage very well," cheerfully answered Lucy. "Did you
say we should have to go out, Lady Verner?"

"This afternoon. For one place, we must go to the Bitterworths. You
cannot go away without seeing them, and Mrs. Bitterworth is too ill just
now to call upon you. I wonder whether Lionel will be here to-day?"