e on three or
four occasions, and had looked for her in her usual walks; but,
nevertheless, they had never come together in their old familiar
way, since the day on which Lady Lufton had hinted her fears to Mrs.
Robarts.

Lord Lufton had very much missed her. At first he had not attributed
this change to a purposed scheme of action on the part of any one;
nor, indeed, had he much thought about it, although he had felt
himself to be annoyed. But as the period fixed for his departure
grew near, it did occur to him as very odd that he should never hear
Lucy's voice unless when she said a few words to his mother, or to
her sister-in-law. And then he made up his mind that he would speak
to her before he went, and that the mystery should be explained to
him. And he carried out his purpose, calling at the parsonage on one
special afternoon; and it was on the evening of the same day that
his mother sang the praises of Griselda Grantly so inopportunely.
Robarts, he knew, was then absent from home, and Mrs. Robarts was
with his mother down at the house, preparing lists of the poor people
to be specially attended to in Lady Lufton's approaching absence.
Taking advantage of this, he walked boldly in through the parsonage
garden; asked the gardener, with an indifferent voice, whether either
of the ladies were at home, and then caught poor Lucy exactly on the
doorstep of the house.

"Were you going in or out, Miss Robarts?"

"Well, I was going out," said Lucy; and she began to consider how
best she might get quit of any prolonged encounter.

"Oh, going out, were you? I don't know whether I may offer to--"

"Well, Lord Lufton, not exactly, seeing that I am about to pay a
visit to our near neighbour, Mrs. Podgens. Perhaps, you have no
particular call towards Mrs. Podgens' just at present, or to her new
baby?"

"And have you any very particular call that way?"

"Yes, and especially to Baby Podgens. Baby Podgens is a real little
duck--only just two days old." And Lucy, as she spoke, progressed
a step or two, as though she were determined not to remain there
talking on the doorstep. A slight cloud came across his brow as he
saw this, and made him resolve that she should not gain her purpose.
He was not going to be foiled in that way by such a girl as Lucy
Robarts. He had come there to speak to her, and speak to her he
would. There had been enough of intimacy between them to justify him
in demanding, at any rate, as much as that.