to him so. But, indeed, what
he says is quite true; it is no one's duty but mine. My husband will not
interfere with what he knows I must do," she said, with a little chill
of apprehension. Would he indeed be so considerate for her? It made her
heart sick to think that she was not on this point quite certain about
Sir Tom.

"In that case there will be no harm in talking it over with him," said
the lawyer briefly. "I thought you were far too sensible not to see that
was the right way. Oh, never mind about his asking my pardon. I forgive
him without that. He has a high idea of his sister's authority, which is
quite right; and so have I--and so have all of us. Certainly, certainly,
Master Jock, she has the right; and she will arrange it judiciously, of
that there is no fear. But first, as a couple of business men, more
experienced in the world than you young philanthropists, I will just,
the first time I see him, talk it over with Sir Tom. My dear Lady
Randolph, no trouble at all. Is that all I can do for you? Then I will
not detain you any longer this fine morning," the lawyer said.

CHAPTER XVI.

AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL.

They drove away again with scarcely a word to each other. It was a
bright, breezy, wintry day. The roads about Farafield were wet with
recent rains, and gleamed in the sunshine. The river was as blue as
steel, and gave forth a dazzling reflection; the bare trees stood up
against the sky without a pretence of affording any shadow. The cold to
these two young people, warmly dressed and prosperous, was nothing to
object to--indeed, it was not very cold. But they both had a slight
sense of discomfiture--a feeling of having suffered in their own
opinion. Jock, who was much regarded at school as a fellow high up, and
a great friend of his tutor, was not used to such unceremonious
treatment, and he was wroth to see that even Lucy was supposed to
require the sanction of Sir Tom for what it was clearly her own business
to do. He said nothing, however, until they had quite cleared the town,
and were skimming along the more open country roads; then he said
suddenly--

"That old Rushton has a great deal of cheek. I should have another
fellow to manage my affairs, Lucy, if I were you."

"Don't you know, Jock, that I can't? Papa appointed him. He is my
trustee; he has always to be consulted. Papa did not mind," said Lucy
with a little sigh. "He said it would be good for me to be contradicted,
and not to