ll not put up with one answer on such a subject. Lord
Lufton has declared to Mark that he means to ask again. He has come
down here on purpose to do so."

"And Lady Lufton--" said Lucy, speaking hardly above a whisper, and
still hiding her face as she leaned against her sister's shoulder.

"Lord Lufton has not spoken to his mother about it," said Mark; and
it immediately became clear to Lucy, from the tone of her brother's
voice, that he, at least, would not be pleased, should she accept her
lover's vow.

"You must decide out of your own heart, dear," said Fanny,
generously. "Mark and I know how well you have behaved, for I have
told him everything." Lucy shuddered and leaned closer against her
sister as this was said to her. "I had no alternative, dearest, but
to tell him. It was best so; was it not? But nothing has been told
to Lord Lufton. Mark would not let him come here to-day, because it
would have flurried you, and he wished to give you time to think. But
you can see him to-morrow morning--can you not? and then answer him."

Lucy now stood perfectly silent, feeling that she dearly loved her
sister-in-law for her sisterly kindness--for that sisterly wish to
promote a sister's love; but still there was in her mind a strong
resolve not to allow Lord Lufton to come there under the idea that
he would be received as a favoured lover. Her love was powerful, but
so also was her pride; and she could not bring herself to bear the
scorn which would lay in Lady Lufton's eyes. "His mother will despise
me, and then he will despise me too," she said to herself; and with
a strong gulp of disappointed love and ambition she determined
to persist. "Shall we leave you now, dear; and speak of it again
to-morrow morning before he comes?" said Fanny.

"That will be the best," said Mark. "Turn it in your mind every way
to-night. Think of it when you have said your prayers--and, Lucy,
come here to me;"--then, taking her in his arms, he kissed her with a
tenderness that was not customary with him towards her. "It is fair,"
said he, "that I should tell you this: that I have perfect confidence
in your judgement and feeling; and that I will stand by you as your
brother in whatever decision you may come to. Fanny and I both think
that you have behaved excellently, and are both of us sure that you
will do what is best. Whatever you do I will stick to you;--and so
will Fanny."

"Dearest, dearest Mark!"

"And now we will say nothing mor