. Crawley on the following morning--"till some
permanent arrangement could be made," by which Lady Lufton intended
the substitution of a regular nurse for her future daughter-in-law,
seeing that Lucy Robarts was now invested in her eyes with attributes
which made it unbecoming that she should sit in attendance at Mrs.
Crawley's bedside. But Lucy would not go back to Framley on that
evening; no, nor on the next morning. She would be so glad if Fanny
would come to her there, and then she would arrange about going home.
"But, Lucy, dear, what am I to say to Ludovic? Perhaps you would feel
it awkward if he were to come to see you here."

"Oh, yes, Lady Lufton; pray tell him not to do that."

"And is that all that I am to tell him?"

"Tell him--tell him--he won't want you to tell him anything;--only I
should like to be quiet for a day, Lady Lufton."

"Well, dearest, you shall be quiet; the day after to-morrow
then.--Mind, we must not spare you any longer, because it will be
right that you should be at home now. He would think it very hard if
you were to be so near, and he was not to be allowed to look at you.
And there will be some one else who will want to see you. I shall
want to have you very near to me, for I shall be wretched, Lucy, if I
cannot teach you to love me." In answer to which Lucy did find voice
enough to make sundry promises. And then she was put out of the
carriage at the little wicket gate, and Lady Lufton was driven back
to Framley. I wonder whether the servant when he held the door
for Miss Robarts was conscious that he was waiting on his future
mistress. I fancy that he was, for these sort of people always know
everything, and the peculiar courtesy of his demeanour as he let down
the carriage steps was very observable.

Lucy felt almost beside herself as she returned upstairs, not knowing
what to do or how to look, and with what words to speak. It behoved
her to go at once to Mrs. Crawley's room, and yet she longed to be
alone. She knew that she was quite unable either to conceal her
thoughts or express them; nor did she wish at the present moment to
talk to any one about her happiness,--seeing that she could not at
the present moment talk to Fanny Robarts. She went, however, without
delay into Mrs. Crawley's room, and with that little eager way of
speaking quickly which is so common with people who know that they
are confused, said that she feared she had been a very long time
away. "And was it La