Page:Framley Parsonage.djvu/151

Rh "I hope there is nothing to complain of," said Fanny, speaking by no means in a defiant tone, but humbly as it were, and deprecating her ladyship's wrath. Fanny had gained one signal victory over Lady Lufton, and on that account, with a prudence equal to her generosity, felt that she could afford to be submissive. It might, perhaps, not be long before she would be equally anxious to conquer again.

"Well, no, I don't think there is," said Lady Lufton; "nothing to complain of; but a little chat between you and me may, perhaps, set matters right, which, otherwise, might become troublesome."

"Is it about Lucy?"

"Yes, my dear, about Lucy. She is a very nice, good girl, and a credit to her father—"

"And a great comfort to us," said Fanny.

"I am sure she is: she must be a very pleasant companion to you, and so useful about the children; but—" And then Lady Lufton paused for a moment; for she, eloquent and discreet as she always was, felt herself rather at a loss for words to express her exact meaning.

"I don't know what I should do without her," said Fanny, speaking with the object of assisting her ladyship in her embarrassment.

"But the truth is this: she and Lord Lufton are getting into the way of being too much together—of talking to each other too exclusively. I am sure you must have noticed it, Fanny. It is not that I suspect any evil. I don't think that I am suspicious by nature."

"Oh no," said Fanny.

"But they will each of them get wrong ideas about the other and about themselves. Lucy will, perhaps, think that Ludovic means more than he does, and Ludovic will—" But it was not quite so easy to say what Ludovic might do or think; but Lady Lufton went on:

"I am sure that you understand me, Fanny, with your excellent sense and tact. Lucy is clever, and amusing, and all that; and Ludovic, like all young men, is perhaps ignorant that his attentions may be taken to mean more than he intends—"

"You don't think that Lucy is in love with him?"

"Oh dear, no—nothing of the kind. If I thought it had come to that, I should recommend that she should be