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74 spoke through it—"I am aware that I am old-fashioned, but I do not know that I wish to change the best feelings in my nature; and when a young man deliberately comes and calls and has tea without having been asked or called upon, I feel that he is not the sort of young man to encourage. Such a thing was not done in our mother's day, Catherine, and I do not think our own days are better in that we do those things now. Whether it showed true delicacy in Lucia to give him tea and sit and talk to him is, of course, a matter for her to settle, just as asking him to our Tuesdays is a matter for you to settle; and I am aware that my wishes on the subject will be disregarded."

"Very well, then, I won't ask him," said Catherine.

Elizabeth removed her handkerchief.

"I am, of course, assuming that LordBray ton made the call on his own initiative," she said. "But from time to time a doubt has crossed my mind which I have steadily put away from me."

"What doubt?" said Catherine.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and folded her hands.

"As to whether he could have done so extraordinary a thing," she said faintly. "I may be wronging you, Catherine, and I hope I am, but you will set my mind at rest if you tell me that you had not previously called on him."

"I called on him last week," said Catherine, with a sudden and stony glance of triumph at Lucia.

Elizabeth pressed her fingers over her closed eyelids, and breathed rather quickly.

"Don't be foolish, Elizabeth," said her sister. "We used to go there in the old days, and I should like to go there again. You would like to go there, too, only you won't say so."

"I am foolish, no doubt," said Elizabeth with sudden asperity, "and I am content to be so. I wish to ask if Lucia accompanied you on this unmaidenly expedition. Poor Lord Brayton! I pity him, if he is to be at the beck and call of all the pestering people in Brixham."

Lucia had a sudden impulse of kindness. She almost said that it was she who had been, and not Aunt Catherine. But her common sense came to her aid; to do that would only fix falsehoods on Aunt Catherine.

"Lucia knew nothing about it," said Cathie, rather appalled to find how finely and easily she lied.

Aunt Elizabeth rose and tottered to the door.

"It is past my bedtime," she said. "Do not wish me a